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Kaschel R, Hoerr R,
Kresimon J, Rychlik R.
The influence of ginkgo
special extract EGb 761®
on the performance of
healthy subjects at
computer workstations –
open-label clinical
study in pre-post design
with a control group. J
Pharmakol u Ther.
1/2007:3-9. Clinical
studies have shown that
ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)
can improve cognitive
performance and stress
tolerance in healthy
people and in elderly
people with dementia.
Studies using the
special ginkgo extract
EGb 761® have
demonstrated
improvements in brain
function, emotional
stability, mental
capacity, attention, and
coping with stress in
healthy people. People
who work at computer
workstations for much of
the day may suffer from
health disorders such as
fatigue, lack of
concentration,
irritability, and mental
stress. The purpose of
this study was to
investigate the effects
of EGb 761 on the
performance of healthy
people at computer
workstations and to
identify suitable tests
to evaluate those
effects. The study was
an open-label pilot
study involving healthy
people who were 45 years
of age or older and who
spent at least 50% of
their workday in front
of a computer. The study
was conducted by
researchers from the
University of Osnabrück
in Germany. Following a
2-week run-in period in
which the subjects were
trained on specific
computer tests, the
subjects completed
baseline measurements of
reaction capacity,
sustained attention,
eyesight sensitivity,
stress perception, and
quality of life. After
the baseline
measurements, subjects
were allowed to choose
if they wanted to be in
the control group
receiving no ginkgo or
in the treatment group
receiving 120 mg of
ginkgo extract EGb 761
twice daily for 8 weeks
(Tebonin®; Dr. Willmar
Schwabe GmbH & Co.,
Karlsruhe, Germany). All
subjects repeated the
baseline tests after the
8-week treatment period
ended, and the
tolerability of EGb 761
was assessed.
The study enrolled 104
subjects, 84 of which
completed the study
according to the
protocol. In the
sustained attention test
(a measure of long-term
concentration) the
number of errors made by
subjects in the ginkgo
group decreased
significantly after 8
weeks compared to the
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control group (P =
0.035). Perceived stress
scores improved
significantly in the
ginkgo group (P =
0.007), and the
"vitality" portion of
the quality of life
evaluation improved
significantly in the
ginkgo group (P = 0.004)
compared to the control
group. No significant
differences were found
between the 2 groups for
reaction capacity after
the 8-week treatment
period. No serious
adverse events were
reported for either
group, and the
tolerability of EGb 761
was judged to be good.
The authors conclude
that EGb 761 treatment
produced clear objective
and subjective
improvements in
concentration, perceived
stress, and quality of
life in people working
at computer workstations
much of the day. The
authors assess the
results to be
particularly significant
for people over 45 years
of age, because that
population group is more
likely to perceive
computer work as more
stressful than a younger
population. The authors
recommend that a more
extensive double-blind
trial should be
conducted using the
tests identified in this
study.
The results of this
study are consistent
with previous studies
showing improvements in
cognitive performance
and stress tolerance.
However, the authors
provide results for only
one of the eight
"domains" of the quality
of life evaluation (the
SF-36 Health Survey). It
is not known if ginkgo
supplementation had any
effect on the remaining
seven domains, and this
would be of interest to
other researchers and
readers. The authors
state that the results
point to improvements
relevant to everyday
functioning at work may
be attained with EGb 761
treatment, in
conjunction with an
increase in stress
reduction and quality of
life.
Since the participants
could choose which group
they wanted to be in,
there is a high
likelihood that those
entering the ginkgo
group had a strong bias
towards the efficacy of
ginkgo. The control
group is not only a
control for ginkgo but
also a control for a
placebo effect. There is
no way to know if the
improvements were due to
ginkgo or placebo
effect. This study was
financed by the ginkgo
manufacturer and
supported by an
insurance association.
—Heather S. Oliff, PhD
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