Home Ingredients Ginkgoselect® Phytosome (Ginkgo Phytosome — Indena)
Cognitive

Ginkgoselect® Phytosome (Ginkgo Phytosome — Indena)

Ginkgo biloba
Evidence Level
Preliminary
2 Clinical Trials
6 Documented Benefits
1/5 Evidence Score

Ginkgoselect® Phytosome is a Ginkgo biloba extract phytosome® developed by Indena (Italy) — using Phytosome® technology applied to standardized ginkgo biloba leaf extract. In one small single-dose human study the phospholipid complex roughly doubled the peak plasma level of ginkgo terpene lactones compared with the same uncomplexed extract. That is an absorption finding, not a health outcome. No trial has tested whether Ginkgoselect Phytosome improves memory, cognition or circulation in people. What is known about ginkgo and thinking comes from other preparations, chiefly EGb 761, and those results are mixed.

Studied Dose 240 mg/day (120 mg twice daily) for 6 months in the Ginkgoselect Plus safety trial; no efficacy trial has established a dose.
Active Compound Ginkgo biloba leaf extract complexed with phospholipids (Phytosome) by Indena, at least 7.0 percent ginkgoflavonglucosides, at least 2.0 percent ginkgoterpenes and at least 0.8 percent ginkgolides, with no more than 5 ppm total ginkgolic acids by HPLC.

Benefits

Cognition: Class Evidence for Ginkgo, Not for This Product

Cognitive trials of ginkgo have used other preparations, mainly EGb 761, and their results are mixed. Ginkgoselect Phytosome itself has not been tested for memory, attention or any other cognitive outcome in people. Higher blood levels of terpene lactones do not by themselves show a cognitive effect, and no study has measured how much of the extract reaches brain tissue.

Supported by Trial 2, Trial 1

Cerebral Blood Flow: Proposed Mechanism, Not Measured

Ginkgo is widely described as increasing cerebral microcirculation, but no study has measured cerebral blood flow, perfusion or microcirculation in anyone taking Ginkgoselect Phytosome. Treat this as a proposed mechanism, not a demonstrated effect.

Supported by Trial 2, Trial 1

Peripheral Circulation: Not Measured for This Product

No study of Ginkgoselect Phytosome has measured walking distance, skin temperature, limb blood flow or any other circulatory outcome in people. Peripheral circulation is a proposed use for ginkgo, not a demonstrated effect of this product, and this is not a treatment for any circulatory condition.

Supported by Trial 2, Trial 1

Older Adults: Six Months of Use Was Tolerated, Benefit Untested

In the one randomized trial in older adults, 240 mg a day of a Ginkgoselect extract for six months caused no adverse clinical effects, no rise in liver injury markers and no genomic damage signal against placebo. That trial measured safety only. Mild cognitive impairment is a medical diagnosis and no trial of this product has enrolled that population.

Supported by Trial 1

Antioxidant Activity: Rodent and Laboratory Data Only

The only antioxidant data on ginkgo phytosome come from rats. In rat brain regions it prevented the fall in superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase caused by sodium nitrite. No antioxidant marker has been measured in people taking this product, and such a marker would be a laboratory reading rather than a health outcome.

Supported by Trial 1, Trial 2

Enhanced Bioavailability vs Standard Ginkgo

This is the one claim with direct human data. In a single-dose study the phospholipid complex produced roughly double the peak plasma level of ginkgo terpene lactones compared with the same uncomplexed extract, with a later peak. Better absorption is not itself a health benefit, and no trial has shown that it produces one.

Supported by Trial 2

Mechanism of action

1

Ginkgo Flavonoids and Terpene Lactones

Active compounds: flavonoids (quercetin glycosides, kaempferol) — antioxidants; terpene lactones (ginkgolides A, B, C, J, bilobalide) — unique to ginkgo, antagonize platelet activating factor (PAF). Neuroprotective effects have been reported in cell and rodent models, not in people taking this product.

2

Cerebral Blood Flow Enhancement

Ginkgo is proposed to increase cerebral microcirculation. Neither cerebral blood flow nor brain perfusion has been measured with Ginkgoselect Phytosome, so this is a mechanism hypothesis rather than a finding.

3

Platelet-Activating Factor (PAF) Antagonism

Ginkgolides antagonize PAF, which produces a modest antiplatelet effect. This is the basis of the bleeding risk described below. No vascular benefit of this product has been measured in people.

4

Antioxidant Protection

In rats, ginkgo phytosome kept brain levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase from falling under chemically induced hypoxia. This has not been measured in people taking this product.

5

Phytosome® Bioavailability

Enhanced absorption of ginkgo bioactives via Phytosome complex.

Clinical trials

1
Ginkgoselect Plus (IDN 5933): 6-Month Randomized Safety Trial, No Efficacy Outcome Measured
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial part-funded by Indena. 120 mg of Ginkgoselect Plus twice daily or placebo for 6 months; 47 people completed it (27 treatment, 20 placebo).

Elderly residents of three Italian nursing homes.

No adverse clinical effects and no rise in liver injury markers over 6 months. Micronucleus frequency (mean ratio 1.01, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.18) and DNA breaks on the comet assay (mean ratio 0.91, 95% CI 0.58 to 1.43) did not differ from placebo. Cognition was not an endpoint, so this trial shows the product was tolerated, not that it works.

2
Pharmacokinetic Study: Ginkgoselect Phytosome vs Uncomplexed Extract, Blood Levels Only
PubMed

Single-dose plasma measurement study run with Indena scientists (Morazzoni, Bombardelli) using LC-MS. Both forms supplied 9.6 mg of total terpene lactones. Not a placebo-controlled trial and no health outcome was recorded.

Adult volunteers; the paper does not report how many took part or describe their health status.

Peak plasma concentration of ginkgolides A and B plus bilobalide was roughly twice as high after the phospholipid complex as after the free extract (181.8 versus 85.0 in the paper's stated units), and the peak arrived later, at 180 to 240 minutes versus 120 minutes. Elimination half-life was similar for both. Absorption only: no cognitive, circulatory or other health outcome was measured.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

Generally well-tolerated.
Mild GI distress.
Headache rare.
Bleeding is the safety issue to know about. Ginkgolides antagonize platelet activating factor, and in one 3-month study ginkgo extract reduced collagen-induced platelet aggregation in healthy adults and in people with type 2 diabetes. A meta-analysis of 18 randomized trials in 1,985 adults found no change in standard clotting measures and no evidence of a higher bleeding risk, but case reports have linked ginkgo to bleeding events, including post-surgical and intracranial bleeding. Anyone taking an anticoagulant or antiplatelet drug, anyone with a bleeding disorder, and anyone scheduled for surgery should not take this without a prescriber's agreement.
Allergic reactions rare.
Soy allergy considerations (Phytosome).

Important Drug interactions

Anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs (warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel, direct oral anticoagulants): pooled randomized trial data have not shown that ginkgo alters clotting times or raises bleeding risk on its own, but it does have an antiplatelet action and bleeding case reports exist, so do not combine without a prescriber.
MAOIs — theoretical interactions.
SSRIs — theoretical interactions.
Diabetes medicines: ginkgo's effect on glucose is not predictable. Controlled crossover studies found no change in whole-body insulin sensitivity, while another concluded that ginkgo may speed the clearance of insulin and of oral hypoglycemic agents, which would raise blood glucose rather than lower it. Monitor glucose if you use insulin or oral diabetes drugs.
Pregnancy — ginkgo contraindicated in pregnancy due to bleeding concerns; avoid supplementation.
Lactation — limited safety data; avoid.
Pre-surgery — discontinue 2-3 weeks before due to bleeding risk (longer than other supplements).
Anti-seizure medications — theoretical interactions; ginkgo may affect seizure threshold; avoid with seizure disorders.

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Frequently asked questions about Ginkgoselect® Phytosome (Ginkgo Phytosome — Indena)

What is Ginkgoselect Phytosome?

Ginkgoselect® Phytosome is a Ginkgo biloba extract phytosome® developed by Indena (Italy) — using Phytosome® technology applied to standardized ginkgo biloba leaf extract.

What is Ginkgoselect Phytosome used for?

Ginkgoselect Phytosome is researched primarily for Cognitive. Cognitive trials of ginkgo have used other preparations, mainly EGb 761, and their results are mixed. Ginkgoselect Phytosome itself has not been tested for memory, attention or any other cognitive outcome in people.

What is the recommended dosage of Ginkgoselect Phytosome?

The clinically studied dose is 240 mg/day (120 mg twice daily) for 6 months in the Ginkgoselect Plus safety trial; no efficacy trial has established a dose. Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is Ginkgoselect Phytosome safe, and does it have side effects?

For most healthy adults, Ginkgoselect Phytosome is well tolerated at studied doses. Reported effects can include: Generally well-tolerated. Mild GI distress. It may also interact with some medications. Ginkgoselect Phytosome is not right for everyone, so check with a healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.

Does Ginkgoselect Phytosome interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs (warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel, direct oral anticoagulants): pooled randomized trial data have not shown that ginkgo alters clotting times or raises bleeding risk on its own, but it does have an antiplatelet action and bleeding case reports… If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for Ginkgoselect Phytosome?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for Ginkgoselect Phytosome as Preliminary (1 out of 5). It is backed by 2 clinical trials and 6 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(6 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Mauri P, Simonetti P, Gardana C, Minoggio M, Morazzoni P, Bombardelli E, Pietta P Liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry of terpene lactones in plasma of volunteers dosed with Ginkgo biloba L. extracts Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom. 2001;15(12):929-934. doi: 10.1002/rcm.316.PubMedUsed to support: Single-dose pharmacokinetic study in healthy volunteers comparing Ginkgoselect Phytosome with the free Ginkgoselect extract, both supplying 9.6 mg of total terpene lactones. Peak plasma concentration of ginkgolides A and B plus bilobalide was about twice as high after the phospholipid complex (181.8 versus 85.0 in the paper's stated units), and it arrived later, at 180 to 240 minutes versus 120 minutes for the free extract. Elimination half-life was 120 to 180 minutes for both. The paper does not report how many volunteers took part and does not report total exposure (AUC). It measures absorption, not benefit, and it was run with Indena scientists (Morazzoni, Bombardelli).
  2. Bonassi S, Prinzi G, Lamonaca P, Russo P, Paximadas I, Rasoni G, Rossi R, Ruggi M, Malandrino S, Sanchez-Flores M, Valdiglesias V, Benassi B, Pacchierotti F, Villani P, et al. Clinical and genomic safety of treatment with Ginkgo biloba L. leaf extract (IDN 5933/Ginkgoselect Plus) in elderly: a randomised placebo-controlled clinical trial [GiBiEx] BMC Complement Altern Med. 2018;18(1):22. doi: 10.1186/s12906-018-2080-5.PubMedUsed to support: Six-month randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 120 mg twice daily of Ginkgo biloba leaf extract IDN 5933 (Ginkgoselect Plus) in elderly nursing home residents; 47 people completed it, 27 on extract and 20 on placebo. There were no adverse clinical effects and no increase in liver injury markers. Micronucleus frequency (mean ratio 1.01, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.18) and comet-assay DNA breaks (mean ratio 0.91, 95% CI 0.58 to 1.43) did not differ from placebo, and neither did c-myc, p53 or ctnnb1 expression. The endpoints were safety and genotoxicity only: no cognitive, circulatory or other efficacy outcome was measured. Several authors' institutions received research support from Indena and one author is an Indena employee. The paper describes IDN 5933 as containing 24.3% flavone glycosides and 6.1% terpene lactones, which is the specification of the uncomplexed extract rather than Indena's published phytosome specification.
  3. Naik SR, Pilgaonkar VW, Panda VS Neuropharmacological evaluation of Ginkgo biloba phytosomes in rodents Phytother Res. 2006;20(10):901-905. doi: 10.1002/ptr.1973.PubMedUsed to support: Rodent study, not a human trial. Oral Ginkgo biloba phytosome shortened pentobarbitone-induced sleeping time, increased spontaneous motility, and showed antiamnestic activity in the scopolamine amnesia test and antidepressant activity in the behavioural despair test; it showed no anticonvulsant activity. The authors describe the effect as moderate nootropic activity in animals. No human cognitive trial of Ginkgoselect Phytosome has been carried out.
  4. Naik SR, Pilgaonkar VW, Panda VS Evaluation of antioxidant activity of Ginkgo biloba phytosomes in rat brain Phytother Res. 2006;20(11):1013-1016. doi: 10.1002/ptr.1976.PubMedUsed to support: Rat study, not a human trial. Ginkgo biloba phytosome at 50 and 100 mg/kg for 7 or 14 days prevented the fall in superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase activity caused by sodium nitrite in the cerebral cortex, cerebellum, hippocampus and striatum. No antioxidant marker has been measured in people taking this product, and an antioxidant enzyme reading is a laboratory measure rather than a health outcome.
  5. Kennedy DO, Haskell CF, Mauri PL, Scholey AB Acute cognitive effects of standardised Ginkgo biloba extract complexed with phosphatidylserine Hum Psychopharmacol. 2007;22(4):199-210. doi: 10.1002/hup.837.PubMedUsed to support: The closest human cognitive data on any ginkgo phospholipid complex, and it tested a different product. Twenty-eight healthy young adults took 120 mg of standardised ginkgo extract, the same extract complexed with phosphatidylserine (Virtiva), the same extract complexed with phosphatidylcholine (the same kind of phospholipid complex as a Phytosome), or placebo, in a balanced crossover with testing at 1, 2.5, 4 and 6 hours after dosing. Plain 120 mg ginkgo did not markedly improve the primary cognitive outcomes. The phosphatidylserine complex improved secondary memory and speed of memory across all post-dose sessions, while the phosphatidylcholine complex produced only a modest improvement in secondary memory at one time point. Plasma terpenoid levels did not differ significantly between the three ginkgo treatments. This was a single acute dose in healthy young people and it did not test Ginkgoselect Phytosome.
  6. Kellermann AJ, Kloft C Is there a risk of bleeding associated with standardized Ginkgo biloba extract therapy? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Pharmacotherapy. 2011;31(5):490-502. doi: 10.1592/phco.31.5.490.PubMedUsed to support: Meta-analysis of 18 randomized trials of standardized Ginkgo biloba extract in 1,985 adults, 87 percent of whom had dementia, peripheral artery disease or diabetes. Against placebo, ginkgo did not change ADP-induced platelet aggregation, fibrinogen concentration, activated partial thromboplastin time or prothrombin time, and the authors concluded the data do not indicate a higher bleeding risk. Blood viscosity fell slightly. This is class-level evidence for standardized ginkgo extracts and not for Ginkgoselect Phytosome, and it does not account for the bleeding events described in individual case reports.