Ginkgo biloba for intermittent claudication

Nicolaï SPA, Kruidenier LM, Bendermacher BLW, Prins MH, Teijink JAW

Summary

Ginkgo biloba for people with leg pain while walking (intermittent claudication)

The main symptom of peripheral arterial disease is leg pain in one or both calves while walking. Typically, this pain occurs during walking and is relieved by a short period of rest. This clinical phenomenon is called intermittent claudication. Peripheral arterial disease is caused by progressive narrowing of the arteries in one or both legs and is a manifestation of systematic atherosclerosis, possibly leading to cardiovascular events. Conservative treatment consists of treatment for cardiovascular risk factors and symptomatic relief by exercise therapy and pharmacological treatments. One of the pharmacotherapeutical options is Ginkgo biloba extract, which is derived from the leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree and has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. It is a vasoactive agent which is believed to have a positive effect on walking ability in patients with peripheral arterial disease. This review shows that people using Ginkgo biloba could walk 64.5 metres further, which was a non-significant difference compared with the placebo group. Overall, there is no evidence that Ginkgo biloba has a clinically significant benefit for patients with peripheral arterial disease.