"Now, researchers from Oregon Health & Science University are testing whether ginkgo biloba can improve alertness in patients with MS. Previous studies have shown the herb can improve awareness by 15 percent. Studies have also shown the herb to be effective in Alzheimer's patients. Dr. Dennis Bourdette from OHSU said, "In the case of ginkgo, we have a safe, natural product that appears to have a modest benefit in a more disabling disease like Alzheimer's." Bourdette said the best way to monitor cognitive impairment is by assessing the white spots on the brain, which are MS lesions...

He said, "I'm excited about the potential for ginkgo because it's safe and relatively inexpensive. If we demonstrate that ginkgo is beneficial, then we'll have a safe, inexpensive agent in a situation where we have nothing else to offer."

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Ginkgo for MS

BACKGROUND: According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, about 400,000 people in the United States have multiple sclerosis. MS is a chronic disease of the central nervous system. It is thought to be an autoimmune disorder, which means the immune system attacks healthy tissue. Most people with MS are diagnosed between ages 20 and 50, although some children as young as age 2 have been known to develop it. MS is not considered a fatal disease. The vast majority of people with the disease live a normal lifespan.

Symptoms of MS occur when the immune system attacks myelin -- the protective insulation that covers nerve fibers. Myelin is often compared to insulating material around an electrical wire. Loss of myelin interferes with the transmission of nerve signals. When this happens, symptoms such as blurred vision, loss of balance, poor coordination, slurred speech, tremors, numbness, extreme fatigue, blindness and problems with memory can occur. Memory loss is one of the more common symptoms of MS, but researchers say this symptom has not received much attention until the last couple of decades. About 50 percent of people with MS develop some cognitive dysfunction. Researchers say, today, much is known about the nature of cognitive symptoms in MS, and recent studies have addressed possible strategies for treating those symptoms.

GINKGO HELPS MEMORY: Ginkgo biloba is an herb made from the leaves of a ginkgo tree. The herb has been used for memory improvement and mental alertness in China for years. Ginkgo is thought to improve memory because it promotes blood circulation to the brain and bodily extremities. The herb is composed of several chemicals, including antioxidants, which may block the chemicals that interfere with electrical transmissions. More than 400 scientific studies have been conducted to test the effectiveness of the herb in the last three decades.

Now, researchers from Oregon Health & Science University are testing whether ginkgo biloba can improve alertness in patients with MS. Previous studies have shown the herb can improve awareness by 15 percent. Studies have also shown the herb to be effective in Alzheimer's patients. Dr. Dennis Bourdette from OHSU said, "In the case of ginkgo, we have a safe, natural product that appears to have a modest benefit in a more disabling disease like Alzheimer's." Bourdette said the best way to monitor cognitive impairment is by assessing the white spots on the brain, which are MS lesions.

He said, "I'm excited about the potential for ginkgo because it's safe and relatively inexpensive. If we demonstrate that ginkgo is beneficial, then we'll have a safe, inexpensive agent in a situation where we have nothing else to offer."

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: The Multiple Sclerosis Center of Oregon Oregon Health & Science University (503) 494-7241