ABSTRACT
The use of Ginkgo preparations for the treatment of cough, bronchial asthma, irritable bladder and alcohol abuse can be traced back to the origins of Chinese herbal medicine. But the modern use of Ginkgo phytomedicines is not derived from traditional medicine. Research on Ginkgo biloba, done by the pharmaceutical company of Dr. W.Schwabe, Karlsruhe, Germany, led to the introduction of Ginkgo leaf extracts in 1965 for the treatment of circulatory diseases resulting from older age. Today, preparations containing Ginkgo leaf extracts are among the best selling phytopharmaceuticals in Europe, particularly in France and Germany. Compared to the importance of Ginkgo preparations, there is only a very small number of publications dealing with quality control of Ginkgo and Ginkgo preparations. To date, only a few general quality standards for Ginkgo leaves and Ginkgo phytomedicines have been published, although various laboratories are actively involved in the analysis of Ginkgo constituents. It appears that the marketing strategies of most companies which produce Ginkgo preparations do not permit the publication of the company-developed quality control standards. A monograph entitled “Ginkgo folium” is in preparation for the European pharmacopoeia while a similar monograph for the United States Pharmacopeia has been published in draft form (see chapter “Considerations in the development of the U.S. Pharmacopeia’s monograph on Ginkgo biloba L.” by V.S.Srinivasan in this volume).
