Effect of Ginkgo biloba on blood pressure and incidence of hypertension in elderly men and women.
BACKGROUND
Accumulating evidence suggests that Ginkgo biloba is cardioprotective, in part, through its vasodilatory and antihypertensive properties. However, definitive data on its blood pressure (BP)-lowering effects in humans is lacking.


METHODS
We determined the effects of G. biloba extract (240 mg/day) on BP and incident hypertension in 3,069 participants (mean age, 79 years; 46% female; 96% white) from the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory (GEM) study. We also examined whether the treatment effects are modified by baseline hypertension status.


RESULTS
At baseline, 54% of the study participants were hypertensive, 28% were prehypertensive, and 17% were normotensive. Over a median follow-up of 6.1 years, there were similar changes in BP and pulse pressure (PP) in the G. biloba and placebo groups. Although baseline hypertension status did not modify the antihypertensive effects of G. biloba, it did influence the changes in BP variables observed during follow-up, with decreases in hypertensives, increases in normotensives, and no changes in prehypertensives. Among participants who were not on antihypertensive medications at baseline, there was no difference between treatment groups in medication use over time, as the odds ratio (95% confidence interval (CI)) for being a never-user in the G. biloba group was 0.75 (0.48-1.16). The rate of incident hypertension also did not differ between participants assigned to G. biloba vs. placebo (hazard ratio (HR), 0.99, 95% CI, 0.84-1.15).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data indicate that G. biloba does not reduce BP or the incidence of hypertension in elderly men and women.
Brinkley
Tina E
TE
Sticht Center on Aging, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston Salem, North Carolina, USA. tbrinkle@wfubmc.edu
Lovato
James F
JF
Arnold
Alice M
AM
Furberg
Curt D
CD
Kuller
Lewis H
LH
Burke
Gregory L
GL
Nahin
Richard L
RL
Lopez
Oscar L
OL
Yasar
Sevil
S
Williamson
Jeff D
JD
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D020441:Ginkgo biloba; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D010936:Plant Extracts