GINKGO BILOBA EXTRACT

📋 Quick facts

Quick Facts:

• Category: other
• Also Known As: Ginkgo biloba extract

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Ginkgo biloba extract contains flavonoids, which are antioxidant compounds
• Research suggests it may help with wound healing in diabetic skin wounds
• Studies show it may reduce symptoms of age-related dizziness and vertigo
• In laboratory studies, it showed effects on skin fibrosis in an autoimmune disease model
• One study combined it with hormones for sudden hearing loss treatment

⚗️ Chemical Overview

See also: Ginkgo (annotation moved to); Ginkgo biloba, ext. (annotation moved to); Ginkgo biloba, extract (annotation moved to) … View More …

Source(s): PubChem, via PubChem

📊 Comedogenicity

🛡️ Safety rating

Safety tier is a starting heuristic from regulatory status and comedogenic rating, not a dermatological verdict — see our Terms for the full disclaimer. Research confidence reflects how many real cited studies back this ingredient, not the strength of their findings.

🌍 Regulatory Status

💧 Skin Type Compatibility

⚠️ Don’t Combine With

📚 Research & Evidence

🔬 The Science

Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) is being investigated for several skin and health applications, though most research is early-stage or conducted in specialized medical settings rather than on general skin health in healthy people. #1: Wound healing in diabetic skin. A 2021 study in a peer-reviewed journal tested a topical cream containing 1-5% Ginkgo biloba extract on full-thickness wounds (deep cuts through all skin layers) in diabetic rats. The cream showed faster wound closure compared to saline control and a reference product, with improvements linked to increased collagen synthesis—the protein that helps rebuild skin. The researchers noted the cream had good stability over 6 months and was compatible with skin tolerance testing.

However, this was animal research; human studies would be needed to confirm these effects. (Source 2)

#2: Age-related balance and dizziness. A 2021 clinical trial in people aged 60+ with chronic dizziness tested a Ginkgo biloba dry extract called EGb 761 (80 mg twice daily for 12 weeks) combined with balance training. Over 12 weeks, balance improved slightly more in the active treatment group compared to sham (placebo), and dizziness-related disability scores decreased in both groups. The researchers reported no safety concerns. The study was modest in size (109 people completed treatment) and used a specific extract formulation, so results may not generalize to all Ginkgo products.

(Source 3)

#3: Skin fibrosis in autoimmune disease. A 2024 laboratory study examined Ginkgo biloba extract in a mouse model of systemic sclerosis, a serious autoimmune disease causing skin thickening and scarring. The extract reduced skin thickness and suppressed genes involved in fibrosis (collagen production) by interfering with a cell signaling pathway called TGF-β. While promising as a research direction, this was cell and animal research—not human skin testing—and systemic sclerosis is a specific medical condition, not a general skincare concern. (Source 1)

#4: Sudden hearing loss (combined treatment). A 2022 study compared hormone treatment alone versus hormones combined with a Ginkgo biloba product (Ginkgo-Damole) in 64 patients with sudden deafness.

The combination group had higher treatment success rates (95.73% vs. 76.32%) and showed improvements in blood viscosity and immune markers. However, this was a specific medical condition treated in a hospital setting with combined therapies, not a skincare application. (Source 4)

#5: Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. A 2019 study examined Ginkgo biloba extract’s antioxidant and antimicrobial properties when incorporated into gelatin films (a laboratory model, not a skincare product). The extract showed dose-dependent antioxidant activity and some antimicrobial effects against tested organisms. This was a material science study, not a human skin study. (Source 5)

Overall: Research on Ginkgo biloba extract spans wound healing, balance disorders, autoimmune skin disease, hearing, and antioxidant properties, but most studies are preliminary (animal models, lab tests, or small clinical trials in specific medical conditions).

Claims about general anti-aging or everyday skincare benefits are not supported by these sources.

📄 Related Research

Matched by search — not necessarily verified support for every statement above.

• Lee B et al. (2024). Ginkgo biloba extract ameliorates skin fibrosis in a bleomycin-induced mouse model of systemic sclerosis. a peer-reviewed journal.
• Bardaa S et al. (2021). Development and Evaluation of the Wound Healing Effect of a Novel Topical Cream Formula Based on Ginkgo biloba Extract on Wounds in Diabetic Rats. a peer-reviewed journal.
• Decker L et al. (2021). Balance Training With Vibrotactile Neurofeedback and Ginkgo Biloba Extract in Age-Related Vertigo. a peer-reviewed journal.
• Zhu Z et al. (2022). Efficacy of Ginkgo biloba Extract Combined with Hormones in the Treatment of Sudden Deafness and Its Effect on the Reactivity of Peripheral Blood T Cell Subsets. a peer-reviewed journal.
• Hu X et al. (2019). Characterization of antioxidant and antibacterial gelatin films incorporated with Ginkgo biloba extract. a peer-reviewed journal.

🧴 Products Containing GINKGO BILOBA EXTRACT