The extract of ginkgo biloba shows scientific evidence of effectiveness against a common and difficult to treat, type of pain, according to the animal data, as reported in the edition of Anesthesia and Analgesia, official journal of the International Organization of Anesthesia Research Society (IARS).

Dr. Yee Suk Kim and his colleagues of the Catholic University in Seoul, South Korea, conducted experiments on animals to assess the effectiveness of ginkgo against the neuropathic pain, a common problem associated with the pain of shingles, the injuries of limbs or diabetes.

Affected patients feel pain in response to stimuli safe as heat, cold or contact, in the experiments, neuropathic pain was treated with different doses of an extract of ginkgo biloba standardized or with a solution inactive, on responses to the cold and pressure.

Both stimuli had responses to pain reduced significantly in the animals treated with ginkgo, before and after treatment, and the higher the dose of extract of ginkgo, the greater the effect of relieving pain, which was reduced during at least two hours after treatment with ginkgo.

The study does not provide evidence of how the ginkgo to reduce the pain, but it is possible the intervention of several mechanisms, including antioxidant activity, an effect anti-inflammatory or protection against the nerve injury, hence its effectiveness may arise perhaps this combination.

The Ginkgo is one of the medicinal herbs more popular within the natural products and is widely used as a promoter of memory, among other purposes.