Ginkgo Semen, Ginkgo Nut, Bai Guo 白果

Ginkgo nut
Bai Guo (TCM)

Ben Cao Yuan Shi, 1644 (Welcome)

Addisonia, vol. 11: (1926)

Botanical name:

Ginkgo biloba

Parts used:

Seed

Temperature & Taste:

Neutral, Dry, Bitter, Sweet

Classification:

R. Astingent

Uses:

1. Consolidates the Lungs, Stops Wheezing:
-Cough, Asthma, Wheezing
-Chronic Cough, Cough with excess phlegm

2. Clears Damp, Astringes to Stop Leakage:
-Leukorrhea, Spermatorrhea
-Turbid Urine, Urinary frequency

3. Moves the Blood, Promotes Circulation:
-benefits circulation
-improves Brain function (similar to the leaf)
-has secondary tonic effects that make it a useful tonic for children and the elderly
-swelling due to unknown toxin, acne rosacea, and psoriasis.

Dose:

Decoction: 3–9 grams (or 5–10 pieces). Adults can take 10 per day, children take 4 per day.
Powder: 1–3 grams (500–1000mg for children)
A simple soup of porridge is made by adding 5 Ginkgo nuts to rice and cooking together. This is a tonic for children and the elderly. It helps nourish Yin, slows aging, improves circulation and gives a good complexion.

Main Combinations:

1. Asthma, Wheezing:
i. Ginkgo Semen Bai Guo with Ephedra Ma Huang, Almond (Xing Ren)
ii. Ginkgo Semen Bai Guo with Ephedra Ma Huang, Almond (Xing Ren), Coltsfoot flower (Kuan Dong Hua), Mulberry root bark (Sang Bai Pi), Pinellia Ban Xia, Scutelleria Huang Qin, Licorice (as in Ding Chuan Tang, from She Sheng Zhong Miao Fang [Well- Known Formulas for Preserving Health])
2. Leukorrhea from Damp-Heat, Ginkgo Semen Bai Guo with Phellodendron Huang Bai
3. Urinary frequency, Ginkgo Semen Bai Guo with Praying Mantis Egg Case (Sang Piao Xiao)

Major Formulas:

Ding Chuan Tang
Yi Huang Tang

Cautions:

1. Avoid large doses or long-term use due to toxicity. As little as 7 nuts in Children and 40 nuts in an adult can cause toxic reactions.
2. Avoid in Pregnancy
3. Caution in those taking Aspirin or Warfarin due to potential drug interaction

Toxicity:

Signs of toxicity include vomiting, diarrhea, stomachache, drowsiness, fear, convulsions, rise in body temperature, difficult breathing, dark-purple complexion, contracted or dilated pupil, slowness in reacting to light, leading to coma.