US Study Proves Efficacy

SPRINGVILLE, UT - New analysis of the 26 week data of a breakthrough study previously published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) shows the unique, patented Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761®) to be effective in improving the cognitive function, daily living and social behavior of patients diagnosed with mild to severe Alzheimer's disease or multi-infarct dementia.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group, multicenter study, changes in the cognitive function and daily living/social behavior of 309 patients were evaluated using the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog), Geriatric Evaluation by Relative's Rating Instrument (GERRI) and Clinical Global Impression of Change (CGIC). The intent-to-treat analysis after 26 weeks has now been published in Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, June 2000; 11:230-237.

While study participants receiving 120mg per day of the patented EGb 761® extract exhibited clinically relevant improvement in ADAS-Cog and GERRI, the group receiving placebo showed significant worsening in these areas of the assessment. Regarding safety, no differences between the two groups were observed.

Specifically, 26% of the patients in the Ginkgo group achieved at least a 4-point improvement in the ADAS-Cog and 30% improved on the GERRI. Discussing these results, study authors, Le Bars et al., make the observation that " Comparison of the current results with those reported in a German study testing a higher dose of EGb might suggest that an increased EGb dose would result in an even more favorable treatment effect. After a similar treatment duration 240mg EGb showed a higher percentage of improved patients i.e. 38% of the EGb group reached the highest cutoff point on the cognitive scale versus 26% in the current study".

trademark, supplied the tablets for the study. Study co-author, Dr. Meinhard Kieser, said that "Previous US research comparing Ginkgold Nature's Way Products Inc., which markets EGb 761® under the Ginkgold®® against other extracts, showed that only Ginkgold® increased activity in all areas of the brain. As pointed out in this present publication, researchers attribute the activity spectrum of EGb 761® to the synergistic effects of multiple constituents of the total extract. Other Ginkgo extracts do not have the same composition as
EGb 761®and the results of this and other studies cannot be extrapolated to any other Ginkgo extract."

EGb 761® and Ginkgold® are trademarks of the Dr. Willmar Schwabe Company of Karlsruhe, Germany. Schwabe is the holder of US Patent #5399348 relating to Ginkgo biloba extract and is a parent company to Nature's Way Products, Inc., Springville, Utah.