Does Ginkgo biloba Prevent Dementia?

Because of Ginkgo biloba’s antioxidant properties and ability to block amyloid aggregation, it has been tested in clinical trials for prevention of dementia; however, such trials have been small and methodologically weak, and they have yielded mostly negative results. Now, in a trial thought to be the largest and longest of its kind, 3069 older adults (mean age, 79) with no (2587 participants) or mild (482 participants) cognitive impairment were randomized to G. biloba (120 mg twice daily of a standardized formulation commonly sold in the U.S.) or to placebo. Exclusion criteria included use of anticoagulants, cholinesterase inhibitors, other drugs with substantial cholinergic effects, or >400 IU of vitamin E daily; and presence of clinical …