Herbal treatments may soon overtake conventional medication altogether, for a new study revealed ginkgo may help treat multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.

Ginkgo has been used for thousands of years by the Chinese as an herbal remedy for a variety of health conditions. It contains flavoglycosides, which are potent antioxidants that have been shown to have neuroprotective effects in animal models of spinal cord injury.

Further, ginkgo has terpene-lactones that block a substance known as platelet activitating factor -- important in regulating blood vessel function as well as mediating inflammation and the sticking of inflammatory cells to blood vessels.

Gingko's Benefits on MS Patients

MS patients have long suspected that ginkgo improves disease symptoms. And thanks to the results of a 39-patient trial including:

• Twenty patients who received ginkgo.
• Nineteen who received a placebo.

... researchers discovered that ginkgo improved the attention spans of MS patients who suffer from cognitive impairment, and with minimal side effects.

While there were no differences on baseline performances in a string of neuropsychological tests among the two groups, researchers did find the ginkgo group was four seconds, or about 13 percent, faster than the placebo group in a "Stroop" test -- a color/word test that measures attention as well as planning, decision making and controlling goal-directed behaviors.

During the Stroop test, MS patients were shown colored boxes and asked to identify the names of the colors they saw. They were then shown the names of colors printed with different-colored inks (i.e. the word blue would be printed in yellow) and asked to read the word. Last, patients were instructed to describe the ink used for each word. According to researchers, the differences in results from the Stroop would be comparable to variances in scores between healthy people ages 30-39 and those 20 years older.

Based on these findings, ginkgo will remain as one of the many weapons in the arsenal for fighting MS.

Oregon Health & Science University April 27, 2005

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Here we have yet another reason to consider all of your options when faced with multiple sclerosis (MS), before resorting to drug therapy. Ginkgo is a very popular herb with a number of beneficial effects, many of which have been know for some time. It seems to be particularly helpful for memory problems, especially if combined with mental exercise, as you age. While ginkgo may also be helpful in the treatment of some aspects of MS, it is still a very challenging problem to treat, with no simple solutions. Instead, a multifaceted approach, investigating and addressing a number of potential contributing factors, is likely to be necessary. Additional treatment options that are helpful in the management of MS include: Consuming a healthy diet. Fish oil and cod liver oil are loaded with beneficial omega-3 fats like DHA and EPA. These are critical in the treatment of MS. You may not need any supplemental vitamin D in the form of cod liver oil, but virtually every single MS patient needs a high-quality fish oil once their vitamin D levels have stabilized with sun exposure. Eliminating milk from your diet. Getting regular sun exposure. Having your vitamin D levels tested and taking a supplement if you can't get regular sun exposure. Getting treated for mercury toxicity if necessary. Minimizing the impact of stress on your life. Avoiding toxic chemicals in your home. Gary Craig's Comment: Many MS patients have reported dramatic symptomatic relief after experiencing EFT. I have demonstrated this often and one such case will come out in film later this year. A current example of this relief was written up by Sophia Cayer (an EFT therapist) on our web site. Her client’s name is Harry and suffered from MS and many other afflictions. After diligently applying EFT on many issues she says, “He is now off all pain meds. All multiple sclerosis symptoms, arthritis and scar tissue pain have vanished, and pain is rarely an issue. When we began, his pain levels, on a 0-10 scale) were generally between 8 and 9 on a daily basis.” Gary Craig is a pioneering developer of EFT, a profoundly effective emotional/mental healing approach. I learned it from Gary and have taught it to patients in my clinic for years, and they have experienced truly incredible and permanent results with it. Read more about Gary Craig's EFT Course. Related Articles: MS Drug Pulled After Patient Died Can Your Younger Siblings Protect You From MS? Yet Another Reason Why MS Drugs Harm Your Health