Ginkgo leaves, a name in traditional Chinese medicine. These are the leaves of Ginkgo biloba L., a plant belonging to the genus Ginkgo in the family Ginkgoaceae. They are distributed throughout most regions of China. They have the effects of promoting blood circulation, nourishing the heart, tonifying the lungs, and astringing the intestines. They are primarily used to treat chest pain, wheezing, coughing with phlegm, diarrhea, dysentery, and leukorrhea.
Ginkgo Leaves
Ginkgo leaves, a name in traditional Chinese medicine. These are the leaves of Ginkgo biloba L., a plant belonging to the genus Ginkgo in the family Ginkgoaceae. They are distributed throughout most regions of China. They have the effects of promoting blood circulation, nourishing the heart, tonifying the lungs, and astringing the intestines. They are primarily used to treat chest pain, wheezing, coughing with phlegm, diarrhea, dysentery, and leukorrhea.
Chinese Name : 白果叶
Aliases : Ginkgo Leaf (common name)
Nature, Flavor & Meridian Tropism : Taste: bitter, sweet, and astringent; nature: neutral; enters the Heart and Lung meridians
Benefits & Efficacy
Benefits
Promotes blood circulation and nourishes the heart; astringes the lungs and the intestines.
Indications
Chest pain (Xiongbi), wheezing, cough with phlegm, diarrhea, dysentery, and leukorrhea.
Usage and Dosage
Internal use: Decocted as a soup, 3–9 g; or used as an extract in tablet form; or incorporated into pills or powders. External use: Pounded into a paste and applied as a poultice or rub; or decocted in water for washing.
Precautions
Patients requiring treatment with Chinese herbal medicine should first consult a licensed Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) hospital, where a TCM practitioner will conduct a professional pattern differentiation and prescribe an herbal formula.
Chemical Constituents
The leaves contain flavonoids: kaempferol, luteolin, myricetin, quercetin, isorhamnetin, eugenol, kaempferol-3-rhamnoglucoside, etc.;Compounds belonging to the diflavonoid class include: Taxus diflavonoid, Ginkgo diflavonoid, Ginkgo biloba diflavonoid, isoginkgo diflavonoid, Pinus koraiensis diflavonoid, and 5'-methoxy-ginkgo diflavonoid;Components belonging to the catechin class include: (R)-catechin, (S)-epicatechin, (R)-gallocatechin, and (S)-epigallocatechin; bitter terpenoids: ginkgolides A, B, C, J, and M, as well as ginkgolide A; alkaloids: 6-hydroxycynarin;Acids and esters: ginkgolic acid, hydrogenated ginkgolic acid, hydrogenated ginkgolic acid ester, anacardic acid, shikimic acid, quinic acid, ascorbic acid, 6-hydroxy-2-tetradecylbenzoic acid, linolenic acid, 6-pentadec-1-enyl salicylic acid, salicylic acid 6-heptadecenyl ester;Alcohols, phenols, aldehydes, and ketones: ginkgol, n-octacosanol, n-hexacosanol, sequiterpenol,α-hexenal, ginkgolide, ginkgolic acid, ginkgolide, pinitol, β-sitosterol; polyisopentenol compounds: (Z,Z)-1,5-dihydroxyphenyl-1,4-pentadiene.
Pharmacological Actions
Research indicates that it increases cerebral blood flow, improves brain cell metabolism, enhances learning and memory, protects nerve cells, combats aging, dementia, and brain dysfunction, scavenges free radicals, and inhibits lipid peroxidation.
Relevant Discussions
*Compendium of Chinese Herbal Medicines*: “Promotes blood circulation and relieves pain. Primarily used to treat coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, angina pectoris, hypercholesterolemia, dysentery, and elephantiasis.”
Applications
Clinical Applications
For coronary heart disease with angina pectoris, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia: it is often used alone; for treating angina pectoris, it may also be combined with herbs such as Salvia miltiorrhiza and Allium tuberosum that promote blood circulation and invigorate yang; for treating hypertension, it may be combined with herbs such as Uncaria hook and Polygonum multiflorum that calm the liver and nourish yin.
For the treatment of wheezing and cough, it may be used alone or in combination with herbs such as Apricot Kernel (Xingren) and Fritillary Bulb (Beimu) that disperse lung qi, eliminate phlegm, and relieve cough.
This herb is also used to treat diarrhea and leukorrhea, as it has the effect of astringing the intestines and stopping diarrhea. Additionally, when applied topically, it treats sores and swellings as well as facial freckles.
Related Compatibility
1. Ginkgo Leaf and Ziheche
Both herbs have bronchodilatory effects. Ginkgo biloba leaves work by consolidating lung qi to relieve wheezing; placenta works by tonifying the kidneys, anchoring qi to relieve wheezing, and replenishing essence and blood. When combined, these two herbs jointly nourish essence and blood, tonify the kidneys, consolidate the lungs, anchor qi, and relieve wheezing. They are used for shortness of breath and exertional dyspnea caused by deficiency of both the lungs and kidneys, accompanied by spontaneous sweating and soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees.
2. Ginkgo Leaf – Jujube Bark
Both herbs have the effects of drying dampness, fortifying the intestines, and stopping diarrhea. However, Ginkgo Leaf excels at drying dampness, while Jujube Bark tends to have an astringent action. When combined, they complement each other, resulting in a stronger therapeutic effect. This combination is used for chronic diarrhea and chronic dysentery.
3. Ginkgo Leaf – Leek White
Both herbs act on the chest and diaphragm to resolve stagnation and relieve pain. However, Ginkgo Leaf acts on the blood aspect to invigorate blood circulation and relieve pain, while Leek White acts on the qi aspect to regulate qi, relieve chest constriction, promote yang, disperse nodules, and relieve pain. When used together, they regulate qi, invigorate blood circulation, relieve chest constriction, promote yang, resolve stagnation, and relieve pain. They are indicated for chest bi syndrome caused by phlegm-dampness stagnation and impaired circulation of qi and blood.
Related Medicines
1. Shuxuening Tablets
100 g of Ginkgo biloba leaf extract. The extract is ground into powder, granulated, compressed into tablets, and sugar-coated to produce the final product.Each tablet contains 1.8–2.5 mg of total flavonoids (calculated as rutin). Indicated for coronary insufficiency, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, cerebral embolism, and cerebrovascular spasm caused by atherosclerosis and hypertension. Take 2 tablets orally three times daily. Use with caution in patients with heart failure. (Hebei Provincial Drug Standards, 1975)
2. Ginkgo Leaf Flavonoid Aglycone Tablets
An appropriate amount of air-dried ginkgo leaf fragments is extracted with ethanol under reflux; the ethanol is recovered under reduced pressure and concentrated to a syrupy consistency. The mixture is washed several times with boiling water, and the aqueous solution is concentrated to an appropriate volume. It is then extracted with diethyl ether; the aqueous layer is separated, acidified with a 5% sulfuric acid solution,hydrolyzed under reflux in a water bath to yield a brownish-yellow suspension; filter; extract the brownish-yellow liquid with diethyl ether to yield a yellow ether solution; wash with distilled water until the pH reaches 5–6 to obtain a yellow ether solution; add a small amount of water to the ether, evaporate the diethyl ether, and the yellow flavonoid aglycones are obtained.Prepare tablets according to standard tablet manufacturing procedures, with each tablet containing 0.5 mg of Ginkgo biloba flavonoid aglycones. This product is a yellow, powdery substance containing three types of flavonoid aglycones. It is used for coronary heart disease and angina pectoris. Take 2 tablets three times daily. Administer sublingually. [(“Chinese Herbal Medicine Bulletin,” 1972, (4):16]
3. Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Injection
1,000 g of ginkgo leaves, 10 mL of Tween-80, 10 mL of benzyl alcohol, and an appropriate amount of water for injection. Boil the ginkgo leaves three times to extract the active ingredients, filter, concentrate, precipitate with alcohol, filter, adjust to pH 6, filter, add Tween-80, benzyl alcohol, and water for injection to a total volume of 1,000 mL, filter through a fine filter, fill into vials, and sterilize.Each vial contains 2 mL; 1 mL is equivalent to 1 g of the raw herbal material. It improves cerebral circulation and corrects peripheral vascular dysfunction. It is used to treat coronary heart disease, hyperlipidemia, cerebral arteriosclerosis, dizziness, and memory impairment. Administer 2 mL intramuscularly twice daily. [*Chinese Herbal Medicine*, 1986, 17(7):359]
Related Prescriptions
1. For angina pectoris due to coronary heart disease: A concentrated decoction of ginkgo leaves is processed into extract tablets (each tablet contains approximately 2 mg of flavonoids, equivalent to 0.5 g of raw herb). Take 1–2 tablets sublingually three times daily. (Compendium of Chinese Herbal Medicines)
2. For hypercholesterolemia: The main component of ginkgo leaf extract, flavonoids, is formulated into sugar-coated tablets, each containing 1.14 mg of flavonoids. Take 4 tablets three times daily. (*Compendium of Chinese Herbal Medicines*)
3. For diarrhea and dysentery: Grind ginkgo leaves into a powder, mix with flour to form cakes, and bake until cooked before eating. (*Essentials of Materia Medica*)
4. For pediatric enteritis: Decoct 3–9 g of ginkgo leaves in water and use the solution to wash the soles of the feet, palms, and chest (around the Jueque acupoint) of the affected child; in severe cases, also wash the top of the head. Perform twice daily. (*Compendium of Chinese Herbal Medicines*)
5. For freckles: Harvest ginkgo leaves, pound them into a paste, and apply topically; this is highly effective. (*Herbal Materia Medica of Southern Yunnan*)
6. For fungal nail infections: Decoct ginkgo leaves in water and use the solution to wash the affected area.
7. For corns: Take 10 fresh ginkgo leaves, crush them into a paste, and apply to the affected area. After 2 days, when the corn turns white and soft, use a small knife to scrape out the hardened core.
8. For swelling and itching caused by lacquer poisoning: Boil ginkgo leaves and honeysuckle vines in water for washing, or use ginkgo leaves alone for the wash. (Recipes 6–8 are from *Pharmacognosy of Southern Medicinal Herbs*)
Notes
References for this entry: [1] Miao Mingsan. Supplementary Notes on Medicinal Resources [M]. Taiyuan: Shanxi Science and Technology Press, 2024: 126–127. [2] Chen Yuchun. Illustrated Guide to the Identification and Application of Wild Herbs [M]. Beijing: China Medical Science and Technology Press, 2020: 603–604. [3] Editorial Board of *Compendium of Chinese Medicines*. *Compendium of Chinese Medicines: Traditional Chinese Medicine Volume* [M]. Beijing: People’s Health Publishing House, 1991: 297–298. [4] Editorial Board of *Chinese Materia Medica*, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. *Chinese Materia Medica: Volume 2* [M]. Shanghai: Shanghai Science and Technology Press, 1999: 280–284.
Processing & Preparation
Harvesting & Processing
Harvest in stages from August to October; sun-dry, oven-dry, or use fresh.
Processing Methods
Take the raw herbal material, remove impurities, rinse thoroughly with running water, slice into strips, sun-dry, and sift out any dust or debris.
Storage Methods
Store in a dry container in a well-ventilated, dry place.
Crude Drug Identification
Properties of Crude Drugs
Leaves are often wrinkled or broken; intact leaves are fan-shaped, 4–8 cm long and 5–10 cm wide, with irregular, wavy notches along the upper margin. Some have a central indentation; the base is wedge-shaped. The veins are fine and dense, consisting of numerous bifurcated parallel veins; the petiole is 2–7 cm long. The leaves are papery and tear easily lengthwise. They have a faint odor and a slightly astringent taste.
Botanical Information
Botanical Classification
Ginkgo biloba, a plant of the genus Ginkgo in the family Ginkgoaceae.
Morphological Characteristics
A deciduous tree reaching up to 40 m in height; branches include long and short types. The bark of young trees is pale grayish-brown with shallow longitudinal fissures, while that of older trees is grayish-brown with deep longitudinal fissures. Leaves are spirally arranged on long branches and clustered in groups of 3–5 (–8) on short branches; petioles are 3–10 cm long;The leaf blade is fan-shaped, pale green, and glabrous. The species is dioecious; flowers are unisexual, rarely monoecious; cones are borne in the axils of scale-like leaves at the tips of short branches; male cones form pendulous catkins; female cones have long pedicels, the tips of which are often bifurcated, with a disc-shaped ovule bed at the apex of each fork, each bearing a single ovule, of which only one develops into a seed.The seed is drupe-like, elliptical to nearly spherical; the outer seed coat is fleshy, covered with a white powdery coating, and pale yellow or orange-yellow when ripe; the middle seed coat is bony, white, and has 2–3 ridges; the inner seed coat is membranous; the endosperm is abundant. Flowering occurs from March to April, and seeds mature from September to October.
Distribution Area
It is distributed throughout most of China.
Growth Habits
It prefers a warm and humid climate; it is sun-loving, cold-tolerant, drought-tolerant, and intolerant of waterlogging. It grows well in climates with an annual average temperature of 10–18°C and annual rainfall of 800–1,800 mm, as well as in deep sandy loam soils with a pH of 6.5–7.5. It should not be planted on shaded slopes, in waterlogged areas, or in soils with excessive salinity.
Propagation Methods
Propagation is by seed, division, or grafting.
Cultivation Techniques
1. Seed Propagation: After harvesting seeds in the fall, sow them either in the same year or the following spring. For spring sowing, mix the seeds with sand to promote germination. Dig transverse furrows 25–30 cm apart and 4 cm deep, sowing one seed every 10 cm and covering them with 3–4 cm of soil. Seedlings will reach a height of 25–30 cm by the end of the year and can be transplanted after the leaves fall in the fall.2. Division: Select 4–5 vigorous seedlings from the root suckers of mature female trees and transplant them when they reach a height of about 1 m. 3. Grafting: Select 2–3-year-old branches from 30-year-old, vigorous, and high-yielding female trees as scions. Use 2–3-year-old seedlings propagated from seed as rootstocks. Perform the grafting using the cleft graft or bark graft method.4. Planting: Generally carried out in early spring, with a spacing of 5–6 m or 7–8 m between rows and plants. Before planting, dig planting holes according to the size of the saplings; the holes should be 40–50 cm deep and 60–70 cm wide. If the taproot is too long after lifting the sapling, trim it slightly.Plant in individual pits at a density of 3 m × 4 m. Each pit should measure 1 m × 1 m × 0.8 m. Apply 50 kg of well-rotted manure, 1.5 kg of calcium-magnesium phosphate fertilizer, 0.5 kg of bran fertilizer, and 0.5 kg of lime to each pit. Mix these thoroughly with the topsoil before filling the pit, and build a tree mound approximately 20 cm high.Plant male trees at a ratio of 20:1 to 25:1, spacing them out according to wind direction to facilitate pollination. For the first week after planting, continue to dig shallow trenches and water thoroughly to ensure seedling survival.
Pest and Disease Control
1. Stem rot: In summer, erect shade structures, insert branches, or cover the ground between rows with straw to conserve moisture and provide shade.
2. Leaf blight: Spray with a 50% carbendazim wettable powder solution diluted 800 times or a 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder solution diluted 800 times. Repeat every 15 days for a total of 2–3 applications.
3. Pests include longhorn beetles, which can be controlled by manual removal or by introducing the natural enemy, the swollen-legged wasp, for biological control. Other pests include the copper-green scarab beetle, black-chested termites, leaf mites, stink bugs, cutworms, and toxic moths.
