Now Ginkgo - 10 years after Cimicifuga?

Approximately 10 years ago, after publication of very poorly nvestigated case reports, a discussion began on a “hepatotoxic risk” ssociated with the ingestion of Cimicifuga preparations. After sevral years and thorough evaluations by numerous research groups nd responsible authorities (e.g. the HMPC) this risk was not subtantiated. A similar discussion has now been started following a publicaion in March 2013 of a report by the National Toxicology Program NTP) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Toxicology and Carcinogenesis: Studies of Ginkgo biloba Extract n Rats and Mice” (NIH Publication No. 13-5920). According to the uthors the reason for the experiments was the widespread use of inkgo products and the content of quercetin in such preparations. rom the results of the 2-year carcinogenicity studies it is concluded hat the investigated Ginkgo biloba extract caused cancers of the hyroid gland in male and female rats and male mice and cancers of he liver in male and female mice. The discrepancies between the esults presented in this report and the proof of safety, together ith long-standing experiences in Europe with herbal medicinal roducts (HMPs) containing a specific Ginkgo extract (EGb 761) orced ESCOP to examine the report in greater detail, especially ith regard to the quality and analytical data.