NIH Grants Stanford $1 Million To Study Ginkgo 39957

NIH Grants Stanford $1 Million To Study Ginkgo

STANFORD, Calif.--Researchers from Stanford were awarded a $1million grant by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate theeffects of Ginkgo biloba on leg discomfort caused by peripheral artery disease.Currently, 72 volunteers are being sought for the study, which begins later thismonth.

During the four-month, placebo-controlled trial, John Farquhar, M.D.,professor of medicine emeritus, and Christopher Gardner, Ph.D., assistantresearch professor of medicine, will investigate gingko's benefits on peripheralartery disease and its effects when combined with aspirin at the Stanford Centerfor Research in Disease Prevention (prevention.stanford.edu).

"Many with peripheral artery disease are surprisingly unaware of theimpairment of their arteries," said Gardner, adding that one-quarter ofthose people suffering from the condition have pain when walking. Approximately14 percent of Americans over age 50 are affected by peripheral artery disease,which has a predilection for smokers and people with diabetes, high bloodpressure and heart disease. Later stages of the condition may bring about strokecaused by blood clots. "The main goal of this study is to find out ifpeople who take ginkgo will be able to increase the distance they are able towalk free of pain or discomfort," Gardner said.

Volunteers can participate in the study if they are able to walk for at leastone minute but no longer than 12 minutes before leg pain becomes debilitating.However, those who do make the 12-minute mark yet have peripheral artery diseasecan volunteer for another arm of the study, in which Gardner and his colleaguesare comparing the effects of ginkgo when combined with aspirin in a one-month,60-person trial.

Those who are interested in learning more or participating in the study cancontact the study's coordinator, Joel Nicholus, at (650) 723-7022.