Ginkgo and placebo effect

Placebo effect is the term applied by medical science to the therapeutical
and healing effects of inert medicines and/or ritualistic or faith healing
manipulations.

When referring to medicines, placebo is a preparation which is
pharmacologically inert but which may have a therapeutical effect based
solely on the power of suggestion. It may be administered in any of the ways
in which pharmaceutical products are administered.

A well-designed study including 1,121 people with tinnitus found that ginkgo
(given 3 times daily for 3 months) was no more effective than placebo in
relieving symptoms of tinnitus. Given these conflicting findings, the
therapeutic value of ginkgo for tinnitus remains uncertain. In general,
tinnitus is a very difficult problem to treat.

© 2007 University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). All rights reserved.

Jamffer