Study supports bioavailability boost for liposomal Ginkgo extract
Data published in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies indicated that Ginkgosome containing 120 mg of a Ginkgo biloba extract increased plasma concentrations of ginkgolide B and C by 1.9 and 2.2-fold, compared to 120 mg of a commercially available Ginkgo biloba extract.
The study also demonstrated the long-acting/ sustained release benefits of Ginkgosome, supporting the potential of a one-a-day dose.
The study was funded by Australia-based Network Nutrition, which is part of IMCD.
Commenting on the study, Ryan Gorman, Brand Director at Network Nutrition, said: “We’re excited by the findings of this clinical trial. We have discovered that Ginkgosome is absorbed across the course of an entire day and absorbs nicely in-between daily doses. Brands formulating with Ginkgosome can talk to their consumers about how the product is working and how long it remains in the blood, giving confidence that the supplement is doing its job from one daily dose to the next.
“The results are encouraging and have prompted further research into the advantages that are possible with long-term absorption as well as improved efficacy from the use of Ginkgosome.”
Size of the market
According to ABC’s 2020 Herb Market Report (HerbalGram 131), ginkgo leaf extract dietary supplements have been consistently among the 25 top-selling herbal supplements in the US, with over $33 million in sales in the combined natural and mass-market channels.
The extracts are typically used in formulations to improve cognitive and mental performance. They are also used for circulatory issues such as peripheral arterial occlusive disease, and for vertigo and tinnitus.
Study details
Performed by David Briskey from the University of Queensland and Amanda Rao from RDC Clinical (Brisbane), the new study included 13 healthy men and women randomly given either 120 mg of a liposomal or comparator formulation in randomised, double-blind crossover study. The volunteers were then monitored at regular intervals over a 24-hour period.
The data showed that absorption (assessed by the area under the curve, or AUC), showed that ginkgolide B and C were significantly greater following ingestion of Ginkgosome, compared to the comparator formulation.
In addition, the maximum concentration reached, the so-called Cmax, was increased by 1.7 and 1.2-fold for ginkgolide B and C, respectively.
Commenting on future avenues for study, Briskey and Rao wrote that these should include longer-term dosing studies, and then taking those optimized doses into clinical trials to investigate efficacy of the product.
“One consideration for this study is that it used a cohort of 18–40 years old,” wrote Briskey and Rao. “GBE is proposed to protect against symptoms of age-related cognitive decline. This is likely to only appear in a population significantly older than that used in this study. The effect this may therefore have on clinical outcomes is unknown, with future studies planned for different population groups (including over 40 years of age).
“However, this being the first trial for this product, we decided to commence with a young healthy population so not to induce potential for confounding factors such as medications and/or adverse health conditions.”
Source: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Volume 22, Article number: 206 (2022), doi: 10.1186/s12906-022-03679-x
“A double-blind, randomised cross-over study to evaluate the absorption of a commercially available Ginkgo biloba extract compared to the liposomal extract Ginkgosome”
Authors: D. Briskey & A. Rao
