History of Ginkgo

The Missouri Botanical Garden says that ginkgo biloba is “the only member of a group of ancient plants believed to have inhabited the earth up to 150 million years ago.”

Introduced very early to human history, the trees were originally cultivated for consumption and as a traditional medicine.

Ginkgo biloba was first used for its medicinal properties in Ancient China. The Chinese took ginkgo for its claimed cognitive benefits and to alleviate symptoms of asthma. They also ate ginkgo nuts because of their “strengthening” properties.

According to the Institute for Natural Products Research, other traditional uses of ginkgo biloba include:

• preventing bed wetting
• increasing sexual energy
• soothing bladder irritation
• treating intestinal worms
• treating gonorrhea