Can drinking water soaked with ginkgo leaves at home help to invigorate blood circulation and lower blood lipids? In fact, the toxic components are more

An elderly friend told Huazi that there were many ginkgo trees planted near his home. Every autumn when the ginkgo leaves fell, he would pick up a lot of them and drink them at home. He asked Huazi if drinking ginkgo leaf water could invigorate blood circulation and lower blood lipids, and if it was safe to drink it for a long time.

Huazi told him not to pick up ginkgo leaves and soak them in water to drink, because doing so will not produce any health benefits, but will easily lead to poisoning. In addition to the medicinal ingredients, ginkgo leaves also contain toxic ingredients, which are more easily soluble in water. Soaking ginkgo leaves directly in water will produce more toxic ingredients.

1. The effect of Ginkgo biloba Ginkgo biloba is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine that everyone is familiar with. Pharmacological studies have shown that Ginkgo biloba can dilate blood vessels, accelerate arteriolar blood flow, and improve microcirculation; it also has a certain regulatory function on blood lipids; it can also inhibit platelet aggregation and prevent the occurrence of thrombotic diseases.

Clinically, pharmaceutical preparations related to Ginkgo biloba are used to treat coronary heart disease, heart failure, myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction and other diseases. They are also used to treat tinnitus, deafness, dizziness caused by insufficient blood supply, blurred vision caused by eye blood flow disorders and other symptoms. They are also used for people with "three highs" such as high blood pressure, high blood lipids and high blood sugar to prevent the onset of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

2. Ginkgo biloba has a complex composition. There are many kinds of medicines containing ginkgo biloba, and they are widely used. It is precisely because of this that many people believe that ginkgo biloba has health benefits. In urban greening, ginkgo trees are commonly used trees. Many people regard the fallen leaves of ginkgo trees as "treasures", pick them up and take them home to soak in water and drink, believing that doing so can strengthen the body.

But in reality, the opposite is true, because the ingredients in ginkgo leaves are relatively complex. The main ingredients that exert their medicinal effects are flavonoid glycosides and ginkgo terpenoids, while the ginkgolic acid contained in ginkgo leaves has side effects such as sensitization, immunotoxicity, and cytotoxicity. The state has strict control standards for ginkgolic acid in its requirements for ginkgo leaf products, and ginkgo leaves need to be attenuated before they can be used. The content of ginkgolic acid in the leaves that are picked up usually exceeds the standard by hundreds of times.

3. Toxic components are more soluble in water. Soaking the collected ginkgo leaves in water will not yield the effective components. The reason is that the flavonoid glycosides and terpene lactone components in ginkgo have very low solubility in water and can only dissolve in organic solvents. In the existing ginkgo leaf purification process, high-concentration alcohols or acetone are required as solvents to dissolve the effective components, and then a series of processing steps such as extraction, evaporation, concentration, and distillation are required to obtain the effective components of the ginkgo leaves.

The toxic component of ginkgo biloba, ginkgolic acid, is highly soluble in water, so soaking ginkgo biloba directly in water will only result in a cup of "poisonous water". If consumed in large quantities, it will cause poisoning reactions such as flushing, sweating, numbness of the lips, and dizziness.

4. It is not recommended to use ginkgo leaf products by yourself. Even if the ginkgo leaf products have been processed through a formal process, it is not recommended to use them by yourself. Because ginkgo leaf is not a food, but a medicine. It can promote blood circulation and inhibit platelet aggregation. However, for people with high blood pressure, greater arterial fragility, or those who are already taking other antiplatelet drugs, taking ginkgo leaf will increase the risk of bleeding.

Therefore, the use of ginkgo leaf products does not necessarily produce health benefits, and there may be adverse reactions. The decision to use them can only be made after the doctor has evaluated the patient's condition and other medications.

In summary, although ginkgo leaves have certain pharmacological effects, their ingredients are complex. If they are directly soaked in water, the toxic ingredients are more, and drinking a large amount of them can easily cause poisoning. Even regular ginkgo leaf products cannot be taken casually, and they need to be used under the guidance of a doctor. I am pharmacist Huazi, welcome to follow me and share more health knowledge.