title: Ginkgo biloba in Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review.
abstract: This systematic review determines the benefit of treatment with Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) concerning patient-relevant outcomes. Bibliographic databases, clinical trial and study result registries were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in patients with AD (follow-up ≥16 weeks) comparing Ginkgo to placebo or a different treatment option. Manufacturers were asked to provide unpublished data. If feasible, data were pooled by meta-analysis. Six studies were eligible; overall, high heterogeneity was shown for most outcomes, except safety aspects. Among studies administering high-dose Ginkgo (240 mg), all studies favour treatment though effects remain heterogeneous. In this subgroup, a benefit of Ginkgo exists for activities of daily living. Cognition and accompanying psychopathological symptoms show an indication of a benefit. A harm of Ginkgo is not evident. An estimation of the effect size was not possible for any outcome. Further evidence is needed which focuses especially on subgroups of AD patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), Cologne, Germany. inger.janssen@iqwig.de
authors.forename: Inger M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: Sibylle
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sturtz
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Skipka
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zentner
authors.forename: Marcial
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Velasco Garrido
authors.forename: Marcial V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Garrido
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Busse
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D020441:Ginkgo biloba; D006801:Humans; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract
chemical_list: D018697:Nootropic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; C063170:Ginkgo biloba extract; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract