Determining my son's GB dosage and also related GB abstracts

[Guest guest]

I have recently have a few e-mails on how I determined the GB for my son. I

thought a

general posting would be helpful. I am not advocating any particular dosage but

am only

explaining how I came up with my son's dosage. I am also attaching some

abstracts from

peer reviewed journals on using Gingko.

My son is 17 months old and 20 pounds. I open the capsules and use the powder.

He

initially started on 30 mg but I gradually titrated it up determine a dosage

that would

maximize its effects. Honestly, after the low dose of GB I saw some progress

and wanted

to see if increasing the dosage would result in corresponding cognitive

advancements. I

read the literature and went very slowly. However, I was so encouraged with

each dosage

increase that I continued up until the 240 mg he is now on. The initial plan

was to

increase and then decrease to cessation to ensure the positive gains were

related to the

GB along with finding an optimal dosage for Ty. However, I did not anticipate

the intensity

of Ty's progress with each dose increase. I became afraid to go down because of

my

knowledge of psychotropics. Sometimes with antidepressants and antipsychotics,

once a

medication holiday occurs, the level of initial gains are not achieved. He

appeared to be

having no negative side-effects and I monitored him closely for any soft signs

of

neurological distress. In fact, with the higher dosage his nystagmus (that he

had had since

birth) disappeared completely and when playing, I noticed him doing alternating

hand

movements. Anyway, I was so encouraged that I decided to continue him at the

elevated

dosage.

I am attaching some abstracts on GB that I found to be very interesting. Hope

you enjoy

them.

Kim

Effects of oral Ginkgo biloba supplementation on cataract formation and

oxidative stress

occurring in lenses of rats exposed to total cranium radiotherapy.

Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2004 Sep-Oct;48(5):499-502.

To determine the antioxidant role of Ginkgo biloba in preventing

radiation-induced

cataracts in the lens after total-cranium irradiation of rats with a single

radiation dose of 5

Gy. Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups. Group 1

received

neither Ginkgo biloba nor irradiation (control group). Group 2 was exposed to

total-

cranium irradiation [radiation therapy (RT) Group], and group 3 received total

cranium

irradiation from a cobalt-60 teletherapy unit, plus 40 mg/kg per day Ginkgo

biloba

(RT+Ginkgo biloba group). At the end of the tenth day, the rats were killed and

their eyes

were enucleated to measure the antioxidant enzymes, the activities of superoxide

dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and the lipid peroxidation

level

[malondialdehyde (MDA)]. RESULTS: Irradiation significantly increased both the

MDA level

and the activity of GSH-Px, and significantly decreased the activity of SOD in

the rat

lenses. Ginkgo biloba supplementation significantly increased the activities of

SOD and

GSH-Px enzymes and significantly decreased the MDA level. Total cranium

irradiation of 5

Gy in a single dose promoted cataract formation, and Ginkgo biloba

supplementation

protected the lenses from radiation-induced cataracts. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest

that

Ginkgo biloba is an antioxidant that protects the rat lens from

radiation-induced

cataracts.

Neuroprotective effect of Ginkgo biloba L. extract in a rat model of Parkinson's

disease.

Phytother Res. 2004 Aug;18(8):663-6.

The neuroprotective effects of a standardized extract of Ginkgo biloba L. (EGb

761) were

investigated on 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced neurotoxicity in the

nigrostriatal

dopaminergic system of the rat brain. Rats were given a week of pretreatment

with daily

administrations of Ginkgo biloba. Unilateral striatal injection of 6-OHDA was

followed by

treatment with Ginkgo biloba for a week. Serial measurement of contralateral

forepaw

adjusting steps revealed a progressive deficit in motor activity. At 8 weeks

after 6-OHDA

lesion the number of contralateral forepaw adjusting steps was significantly

higher in rats

that were treated with high doses of Ginkgo biloba (100 mg/kg daily) than in

those

treated with low doses (50 mg/kg) or with the vehicle. Dopamine neuron loss in

the

substantia nigra and a depletion in striatal dopamine corresponded with

behavioural

deficit. These data suggest that the neuroprotective effects of Ginkgo biloba

reduce the

behavioural deficit in 6-OHDA lesions in rat and also indicates a possible role

for the

extract in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

No alteration in platelet function or coagulation induced by EGb761 in a

controlled study.

Clin Lab Haematol. 2003 Aug;25(4):251-3.

Some cases of spontaneous bleeding have been reported in patients treated with

Ginkgo

biloba. A prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study was

carried

out in 32 young male healthy volunteers to evaluate the effect of three doses of

Ginkgo

biloba extract (120, 240 and 480 mg/day for 14 days) on hemostasis, coagulation

and

fibrinolysis. This study did not reveal any alteration of platelet function or

coagulation.

This suggests that the reported clinical bleeding events in patients receiving

Ginkgo

biloba extract are not related to pharmacological properties of EGb761 (Ginkgo

biloba L.)

Age-related effects of Ginkgo biloba extract on synaptic plasticity and

excitability.

B.The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La

Jolla, CA

92037, USA.

Neurobiol Aging. 2004 Aug;25(7):955-62.

EGb 761 is a standardized extract from the Ginkgo biloba leaf and is purported

to improve

age-related memory impairment. The acute and chronic effect of Ginkgo biloba on

synaptic transmission and plasticity in hippocampal slices from young adult

(8-12 weeks)

and aged (18-24 months) C57Bl/6 mice was tested because hippocampal plasticity

is

believed to be a key component of memory. Acutely applied Ginkgo biloba

significantly

increased neuronal excitability in slices from aged mice by reducing the

population spike

threshold and increased the early phase of long-term potentiation, though there

was no

effect in slices from young adults. In chronically treated mice fed for 30 days

with an

Ginkgo biloba -supplemented diet, Ginkgo biloba significantly increased the

population

spike threshold and long-term potentiation in slices from aged animals, but had

no effect

on slices from young adults. The rapid effects of Ginkgo biloba on plasticity

indicate a

direct interaction with the glutamatergic system and raise interesting

implications with

respect to a mechanism explaining its effect on cognitive enhancement in human

subjects

experiencing dementia.