Ginkgo Improves Schizophrenia Symptoms
12-Dec-2010Ginkgo Improves Schizophrenia Symptoms
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry indicates that Ginkgo biloba may benefit some of the approximately 50% of schizophrenic patients who are not responding to antipsychotic medications.
The hypothesis exists that excess free-radical production may be linked to schizophrenia. Consequently, researchers investigated the use of Ginkgo biloba (Egb), an antioxidant, as an adjunctive treatment in 109 schizophrenia patients. In the 12-week study, the subjects were randomly treated with either haloperidol (Haldol) and up to 120 mg Ginkgo three times daily or haloperidol with placebo. The researchers then evaluated the subjects based upon three scales: the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS) and the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS). The authors found a significant improvement in BPRS scores for both groups, but the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS) scores were significantly more improved for the Ginkgo group compared to the group taking both Haldol and placebo. The authors concluded that Ginkgo may work in conjunction with antipsychotic medications in the treatment of schizophrenia.
Reference:
Zhang XY, Zhou DF, Zhang PY, et al. A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Extract of Ginkgo biloba Added to Haloperidol in Treatment-Resistant Patients With Schizophrenia. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2001;62(11):878-883.
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry indicates that Ginkgo biloba may benefit some of the approximately 50% of schizophrenic patients who are not responding to antipsychotic medications.
The hypothesis exists that excess free-radical production may be linked to schizophrenia. Consequently, researchers investigated the use of Ginkgo biloba (Egb), an antioxidant, as an adjunctive treatment in 109 schizophrenia patients. In the 12-week study, the subjects were randomly treated with either haloperidol (Haldol) and up to 120 mg Ginkgo three times daily or haloperidol with placebo. The researchers then evaluated the subjects based upon three scales: the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS) and the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS). The authors found a significant improvement in BPRS scores for both groups, but the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS) scores were significantly more improved for the Ginkgo group compared to the group taking both Haldol and placebo. The authors concluded that Ginkgo may work in conjunction with antipsychotic medications in the treatment of schizophrenia.
Reference:
Zhang XY, Zhou DF, Zhang PY, et al. A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Extract of Ginkgo biloba Added to Haloperidol in Treatment-Resistant Patients With Schizophrenia. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2001;62(11):878-883.
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Dr. George John Georgiou, born 14th December 1956, has been educating himself for over 25 years. Specifically, he has a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) honors degree in Biology/Psychology from Oxford Brook’s University, Oxford, England, a Master’s of Science degree (M.Sc) in Clinical Psychology from the University of Surrey, Guildford, England, a Doctor of Philosophy degree (Ph.D). in Clinical Sexology from The Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality, San Francisco, USA.... 
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