A study on the duration of Ginkgo biloba extract effective in improving cognitive function in the elderly: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Evidence regarding the efficacy of Ginkgo biloba extract on cognitive function has been contentious. This study evaluated the effective period of G. biloba intake to improve cognition in the elderly. PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, Web of Science, and PsycArticles databases were searched for short-listing relevant studies. Twenty-five studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Cognitive efficacy was assessed based on the duration of intervention. G. biloba intake for 3-6 months statistically significantly affected cognitive function (SMD= −0.21; 95% CI −0.39, −0.03; p=0.02). However, the improvement in activities of daily living (ADLs) was not statistically significant. Thus, G. biloba intake for more than three months improves cognition in the elderly people with cognitive impairment and AD dementia without any safety risk. Intake for up to six months does not improve ADLs significantly in mild to moderate dementia patients.