Description
This genus is the oldest in the world-first appearing in the Early Jurassic period. Its numbers blossomed during the Middle Jurassic and Early Cretaceous eras, but suddenly the species crashed around the Palaeocene period roughly 65 million years ago, leaving the only Ginkgo trees left on earth isolated to central China, until cultivation began in many monasteries and temple gardens.
Mention of Ginkgo first appeared in the Han dynasty between 206 BC and 220 AD, however its popularity only began to grow after its mention in Chinese literature in the 11th century during the Sung dynasty. After that point, it appeared throughout Chinese art and poetry. Its “fruits” (seeds) and leaves were often praised in literature. Modern documentation was done by the esteemed sage and herbalist Li Shi-Zhen who compiled an extensive text on herbals called the Compendium of Materia Medica in the 16th century.
Ginkgo’s are revered throughout Asia where this ancient tree has come to be a symbol of longevity and enlightenment. This venerable tree species is incredibly hardy, with individual trees living as long as 3000 years due to its deep root system, natural disease-resistant bark, and insect- resistant wood.
One of the most famous ginkgo biloba trees is located in Hiroshima. It was growing near a temple that was 1.1 kilometres from the epicentre where the atom bomb was dropped by the American forces during World War II. Disaster rained down upon the city, little was left standing, but somehow this gingko tree was able to weather one of the most destructive moments in human history. This phenomenal survival is due to this trees’ chemical constituents that have longevity enhancing, anti-mutagenic, free radical scavenging abilities.
It is thought that there are two main groups of active constituents responsible for ginkgo’s medicinal effects-terpene lactones and ginkgo flavone glycosides. Approximately 40 different flavonoids have been isolated, including ginkgetin, bilobetin, and sciadopitysin as well as a number of powerful terpenes such as ginkgolides and diterpenes, most importantly the ginkgolides A, B, and C have shown significant medicinal benefits in clinical studies.
Ginkgo leaf has shown beneficial effects in treating neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular diseases, stress, memory loss, tinnitus, geriatric complaints like vertigo, age-related macular degeneration, and psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia.
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