Method for obtaining an extract of Ginkgo biloba leaves substantially free of persistent organic pollutants, said method comprising the following stages: (a) the Ginkgo biloba leaves are extracted at a temperature of approximately 40 to 100°C with aqueous acetone, an aqueous alcohol with 1 to 3 carbon atoms or anhydrous methanol; (b) the majority of the organic solvent is separated from the extract to a maximum content of 10% by weight, in such a way that water can be added during the last distillation stages, (c) the remaining concentrated aqueous solution is diluted with water to a solid matter content of 5 to 25% by weight, left to cool down, while being stirred, to a temperature below 25°C, left to rest until a precipitate forms and the resulting precipitate, constituted by the lipophilic components that do not dissolve well in water, is separated, (d) ammonium sulphate is added to the remaining aqueous solution and the solution that has formed is extracted with methyl ethyl ketone or a mixture of methyl ethyl ketone and acetone, (e) the extract obtained is concentrated to a solid matter content of 50 to 70% and the obtained concentrate is diluted with water and ethanol so as to obtain a solution which contains 50% by weight water and 50% by weight ethanol with a solid matter content of 10% by weight, (f) an aqueous solution of a lead salt is added to the solution obtained in this way until the colour changes from brown to amber, and the precipitate that has formed is separated, or a polyamide is used instead of a lead salt, (g) the remaining aqueous alcoholic solution is extracted with an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic solvent with a boiling point of 60 to 100°C in order to further separate the alkylphenol compounds, (h) the remaining aqueous alcoholic solution is concentrated under reduced pressure to a maximum ethanol content of approximately 5% and ammonium sulphate is added up to a content of 20% by weight, (i) the solution obtained is extracted with a mixture of methyl ethyl ketone and ethanol in a ratio of 8/2 to 5/5, preferably of 6/4, (j) the resulting organic phase is concentrated to a solid matter content of 50 to 70% by weight, (k) ethanol is added to the concentrate obtained in this way until an ethanol content of at least 80% is obtained, then the mixture is cooled down to a maximum temperature of 12°C for at least two hours and finally the insolubles are eliminated by filtration and the filtrate is recovered; (l) the filtrate is concentrated and dried under reduced pressure at a temperature between 60 to 80°C until a dry extract with a water content of less than 5% is obtained, characterized in that said method comprises an additional stage which consists of passing one of the organic phases obtained in one of stages d, i or k, over an adsorbent which is constituted by synthetic activated carbon having a specific surface area greater than or equal to 1000 m 2 /g, with a solvent or a mixture of solvents with a polarity comprised between 5 and 6. (a) the Ginkgo biloba leaves are extracted at a temperature of approximately 40 to 100°C with aqueous acetone, an aqueous alcohol with 1 to 3 carbon atoms or anhydrous methanol; (b) the majority of the organic solvent is separated from the extract to a maximum content of 10% by weight, in such a way that water can be added during the last distillation stages, (c) the remaining concentrated aqueous solution is diluted with water to a solid matter content of 5 to 25% by weight, left to cool down, while being stirred, to a temperature below 25°C, left to rest until a precipitate forms and the resulting precipitate, constituted by the lipophilic components that do not dissolve well in water, is separated, (d) ammonium sulphate is added to the remaining aqueous solution and the solution that has formed is extracted with methyl ethyl ketone or a mixture of methyl ethyl ketone and acetone, (e) the extract obtained is concentrated to a solid matter content of 50 to 70% and the obtained concentrate is diluted with water and ethanol so as to obtain a solution which contains 50% by weight water and 50% by weight ethanol with a solid matter content of 10% by weight, (f) an aqueous solution of a lead salt is added to the solution obtained in this way until the colour changes from brown to amber, and the precipitate that has formed is separated, or a polyamide is used instead of a lead salt, (g) the remaining aqueous alcoholic solution is extracted with an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic solvent with a boiling point of 60 to 100°C in order to further separate the alkylphenol compounds, (h) the remaining aqueous alcoholic solution is concentrated under reduced pressure to a maximum ethanol content of approximately 5% and ammonium sulphate is added up to a content of 20% by weight, (i) the solution obtained is extracted with a mixture of methyl ethyl ketone and ethanol in a ratio of 8/2 to 5/5, preferably of 6/4, (j) the resulting organic phase is concentrated to a solid matter content of 50 to 70% by weight, (k) ethanol is added to the concentrate obtained in this way until an ethanol content of at least 80% is obtained, then the mixture is cooled down to a maximum temperature of 12°C for at least two hours and finally the insolubles are eliminated by filtration and the filtrate is recovered; (l) the filtrate is concentrated and dried under reduced pressure at a temperature between 60 to 80°C until a dry extract with a water content of less than 5% is obtained,