Ginkgo's usefulness for short-term memory function needs further study. This has led some to project its effectiveness to general mental function, despite the lack of definitive studies. Ginkgo biloba has an interesting history. During the Ice Age, all members of the Ginkgoaceae family were wiped out except Ginkgo biloba. In the 200 million years since, it has become a popular ornamental tree throughout the world.
Leaves are leathery and fan-shaped.
Their two lobes resemble a simplistic rendition of the human brain. Dried and fresh leaves, and sometimes the seed, are used medicinally. The tree itself can live for hundreds of years, flowering only after its first 20 to 30 years of life. Leaves are dried and processed to yield a standardized, concentrated extract. Unlike many herbal preparations, ginkgo products using the standardized extract contain a known, specific amount of the active compounds.