Is Ginkgo biloba a cognitive enhancer in healthy individuals? A meta-analysis

• Published in: Human psychopharmacology Vol. 27; no. 6; pp. 527 - 533
• Main Authors: Laws, Keith R., Sweetnam, Hilary, Kondel, Tejinder K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.11.2012
• Subjects: attention; Attention - drug effects; Cognition - drug effects; Dietary Supplements; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - administration & dosage; Evidence-Based Medicine; executive function; Executive Function - drug effects; Ginkgo biloba - chemistry; Humans; memory; Memory - drug effects; neuroenhancer; Nootropic Agents - administration & dosage; Performance-Enhancing Substances - administration & dosage; Plant Extracts - administration & dosage; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; smart drug
• ISSN: 0885-6222; 1099-1077
• DOI: 10.1002/hup.2259

Objective We conducted a meta‐analysis to examine whether Ginkgo biloba (G. biloba) enhances cognitive function in healthy individuals. Methods Scopus, Medline, Google Scholar databases and recent qualitative reviews were searched for studies examining the effects of G. biloba on cognitive function in healthy individuals. We identified randomised controlled trials containing data on memory (K = 13), executive function (K = 7) and attention (K = 8) from which effect sizes could be derived. The analyses provided measures of memory, executive function and attention in 1132, 534 and 910 participants, respectively. Results Effect sizes were non‐significant and close to zero for memory (d = −0.04: 95%CI −0.17 to 0.07), executive function (d = −0.05: 95%CI −0.17 to 0.05) and attention (d = −0.08: 95%CI −0.21 to 0.02). Meta‐regressions showed that effect sizes were not related to participant age, duration of the trial, daily dose, total dose or sample size. Conclusions We report that G. biloba had no ascertainable positive effects on a range of targeted cognitive functions in healthy individuals. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.