Ginkgo Biloba and Herbal Remedy Warnings

Dear Dr. Dave and Dr. Dee,

I'm wondering if the information that I heard is true, that aspirin and ginkgo biloba taken together can cause a stroke? My Dad is taking both to prevent a stroke. Should he change his ways? Are you aware of this warning?.

Signed,

Please advise

Dear Please advise,

There have been warnings against using ginkgo biloba extract, especially in conjunction with aspirin. Ginkgo biloba may interact with other anticoagulants or anti-platelet agents, such as aspirin, and increase the risk of hemorrhage (drugs.com, 2009; rxlist.com, 2009).

The popularity of ginkgo biloba has been due to it's being advertised as helping memory, Alzheimers, or dementia via its blood thinning ability due to decreased platelet aggregation, thus increasing blood circulation. However, there has not yet been sufficient scientific evidence to prove these claims.

There are two major types of strokes, 1) ischemic stroke (due to blockage of a blood vessel in the brain), and 2) hemorrhagic stroke (due to a ruptured blood vessel in the brain). Agents that decrease platelet aggregation can reduce the risk of ischemic stroke, but, they can increase bleeding from a hemorrhagic stroke.

Always be seen by your physician before taking any medications, including herbal remedies. For more information, see www.drugs.com and www.rxlist.com