ABSTRACT
A botanical curiosity, Ginkgo biloba is also extremely original in its bio-chemical composition. This probably explains the multiplicity of effects observed with Ginkgo biloba extract-EGb 761. Studied at all levels of the organization of life (molecular, cellular, tissular, the entire organism, and behavior, including in humans), EGb 761 has shown particularly interesting effects in four domains: protection of the nervous system, protection of the circulatory system, protection against various diseases of the retina, and protection against some otorhinolaryngeal (ORL) diseases. Several of these effects are explained by its antioxidant action and by its effects on gene expression. As far as physiology and therapy are concerned, one remarkable aspect of EGb 761 is that it does not have a single unidirectional effect (activator or inhibitor) but rather is regulatory, promoting the adaptation of the organism to the situation at hand. This result may be due to the fact that it is a natural extract, that is, a set of molecules made by the process of natural selection, a mechanism specialized in the making of adaptive biological systems.
