Ginkgo seed kernel

Ginkgo seed kernel

　　I. Plant: Ginkgo seed

　　 　　Name: Ginkgo nut (Bai Guo)

　　 　　Ginkgo nut (Bai Guo), Pinyin: baiguo

　　 　　English: Ginkgo Seed

　　 　　Latin name: Semen Ginkgo

　　 　　[Also known as] Ginkgo seed kernel, Gongsun tree seed, duck-foot tree seed, Lingyan (from *Taicang Prefecture Records*). …

　　 　　Tree also known as: Lingyan (from *Taicang Prefecture Records*), Fox Nail (from *Zhejiang General Records*), Buddha’s Finger Citron (from *A Pocket Geography*), Duckfoot (from *Wanling Collection*), Gongsun Tree (from *Runan Garden History*), Duckfoot Tree, Ginkgo.

　　 　　[Explanation of name] Named based on shape and color, see the "Historical Evolution" section.

　　 　　[Historical Evolution] First recorded in *Daily Use Materia Medica*. Li Shizhen said: “Originally native to the south of the Yangtze River, its leaves resemble duck feet, hence the name ‘duck foot.’ It first began being offered as tribute in the Song Dynasty, and was then renamed Ginkgo because its shape resembles small apricots and its kernel is white. Now it is called Bai Guo (Ginkgo nut).” *Runan Garden History* refers to this plant as Gongsun Tree. Ancient materia medica only used the seed medicinally, while modern applications also include the leaves.

　　 　　[Source] The seed of the Ginkgo biloba L., a plant of the Ginkgoaceae family, with the fleshy outer seed coat removed.

　　 　　[Morphological description] A deciduous tree that can grow up to 40 meters tall. The trunk is straight with gray bark. Branches come in two types—long and short. Leaves grow in clusters on short branches and alternately or spirally on long branches. They are fan-shaped, 4–8 cm long and 5–10 cm wide, with shallowly wavy upper edges, shallowly or deeply notched at the tip, wedge-shaped at the base, with parallel veins and dichotomous vein branches. Leaf stalks are 2.5–7 cm long. Flowers are unisexual, with male and female flowers on separate trees, blooming at the same time as the leaves. Male flowers are drooping short catkins, with 4–6 growing in the leaf axils or bract axils of short branches, bearing numerous stamens with two-chambered anthers on short stalks. Female flowers grow 2–3 together on short branches, each with a long stalk ending in two forks, each fork bearing one carpel with an ovule attached, though usually only one ovule matures. The seed is drupe-like, inverted egg-shaped or oval, 2.5–3 cm long, pale yellow, covered with a powdery wax coating. The outer seed coat is fleshy, powdery, and foul-smelling, turning orange-yellow when ripe. The inner seed coat is gray-white, bony, with ridges on both sides. The endosperm is rich, and there are two cotyledons. Flowering season is April to May. Fruiting season is July to October. Widely cultivated across most regions of China. The roots or root bark (Bai Guo root), bark (Bai Guo tree bark), and leaves (Bai Guo leaf) of this plant are also used medicinally.

　　 　　[Biological characteristics] Grows in sunny, moist, fertile loamy or sandy loam soils, generally cultivated.

　　 　　[Distribution and origin] A unique tree species in China. Wild populations exist in Tianmu Mountain, Zhejiang. Widely cultivated across the country. Major producing areas include Guangxi, Sichuan, Henan, Shandong, Hubei, and Liaoning. Products from Guangxi are considered the best, sold nationwide and exported.

　　 　　[Cultivation techniques]　

　　 　　I. Site selection and land preparation: Choose land with deep, loose, fertile soil, high elevation, and good drainage, preferably sandy loam. For Ginkgo cutting seedlings, select yellow loamy soil or loam. Level and fine-tune the soil, forming turtle-back shaped beds 1.2 m wide and 25 cm high, slightly higher in the center and lower around the edges, with drainage ditches dug around to prevent waterlogging. Prepare irrigation facilities in advance to ensure successful seedling growth and breeding. For transplanting sites, choose well-drained areas with long sunlight exposure, deep, fertile, sandy loam or loamy soil with good drainage. Slightly acidic to neutral soils promote vigorous growth, fast maturity, and early forest formation. Intensive cultivation and management can be applied to establish large-scale Ginkgo production bases. Careful cultivation and management are essential to maximize both early and long-term benefits. Ginkgo can also be planted in gaps around houses, ancient temples, scenic areas, roadsides, courtyards, and other open spaces.

　　 　　II. Propagation methods: 1. Cutting seedlings

　　 　　2. Transplanting method: Conducted in winter or spring from late January to early February. Dig planting holes at a row and plant spacing of 5 m × 4 m, with 35 Ginkgo seedlings per mu. Each hole should be 50 cm in diameter and depth, with the bottom loosened 15 cm and leveled. Apply 20 kg of compound fertilizer made from well-rotted organic manure mixed with phosphorus cake fertilizer, mixed evenly with the bottom soil, then cover with 10 cm of fine soil. Finally, plant the Ginkgo seedling in the hole, spreading the roots flat, covering slightly above the original ground level, ensuring the seedling is straight and stable, and compact the soil. Water thoroughly after planting. Since Ginkgo is dioecious, 5% male plants should be included per mu during transplanting to facilitate pollination, flowering, and fruiting.

　　 　　III. Field management:　

　　 　　(1) Hoeing, weeding, fertilizing: In the early stages after transplanting, intercropping with legumes, tubers, or other short-stature crops or herbal medicinal plants can be done between rows. Hoeing, weeding, and fertilizing can be combined with these intercrops. Before canopy closure, apply fertilizer three times a year: the first time in early spring for bud stimulation, the second in early summer for branch strengthening, and the third before winter freeze for heavy winter fertilizer. Fertilizers should mainly be organic, supplemented appropriately with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium chemical fertilizers. Application method: dig circular or radial trenches or pits under the canopy, apply fertilizer, then cover with soil, press down, and water. During fruiting period, begin root external fertilization once a month starting from the flowering period, using a 0.5% urea and 0.3% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution, applied to leaves and branches on sunny evenings or overcast days. Reapply if it rains after spraying.

　　 　　(2) Artificial pollination: Ginkgo is wind-pollinated. Before female plants flower, collect male flower branches and hang them on female plants to assist pollination via wind, thereby improving fruit setting and yield.

　　 　　(3) Pruning: Each winter, prune dead, thin, weak, overlapping, damaged branches, as well as upright and pest-infested branches. Pinch back shoots in summer to encourage branching. Also remove adventitious buds and root sprouts to reduce wasteful nutrient consumption and promote plant growth.

　　 　　IV. Pest and disease control:

　　 　　[Varieties] Yield indicators of Ginkgo nuts, their external morphology, and the types and amounts of internal components are the basic criteria for identifying Ginkgo varieties. Morphological features, phenological periods, and cultivation traits serve only as supplementary criteria.

　　 　　1. Superior Ginkgo varieties

　　 　　At present, the main criteria for evaluating superior varieties are the abundance and quality of seeds. Superior varieties are defined as those with: high uniformity in seed kernel size; consistently high and stable yields, with yield variation not exceeding 30% over three years; a seed kernel extraction rate of over 26%, and a kernel-to-nut rate of over 76%; kernel starch content over 65%, and sugar content over 60%. Based on these criteria, the following superior varieties have been selected across different regions:

　　 　　(1) Large Nut Ginkgo: Mainly grown in Anlu, Xiaogan, Suizhou, Guangxi’s Lingchuan, Henan’s Luoshan, and Anhui’s Dabie Mountains. The nuts are inverted egg-shaped, averaging 11 g each with a 4 cm stalk. The kernels are large, plump, inverted egg-shaped and slightly flattened, with wings along the edges, 2.6 cm long and 2.2 cm wide, averaging 3.3 g per kernel, with 310 kernels per kilogram. Kernel extraction rate is 29%, with large, full kernels and high fruit-setting rates.

　　 　　(2) Large Plum Pit: Primarily grown in Zhuji, Lin’an, and Changxing in Zhejiang; Lingchuan and Xing’an in Guangxi; Anlu and Suizhou in Hubei. Also cultivated in Pizhou, Jiangsu, and Tancheng, Shandong. The nuts are spherical or nearly spherical, 3.0 cm long and 2.8 cm wide, averaging 12.2 g each with a 4.5 cm stalk. The kernels are large and full, spherical but slightly flattened, 2.4 cm long and 1.9 cm wide, averaging 3.3 g per kernel, with 300–420 kernels per kilogram, a kernel extraction rate of 26%, and a kernel-to-nut rate of 75%. This variety has full, glutinous kernels. It is drought-resistant, hardy, adaptable, and performs well in yield.

　　 　　(3) Giant Buddha Palm: Primarily cultivated in Wu County, Jiangsu. Also grown in Pi County, Jiangsu; Changxing, Zhejiang; Xiaogan, Hubei; Luoshan, Henan; and Dabie Mountains, Anhui. The fruit is ovoid, 3.5 cm in length and 2.8 cm in width, averaging 17.6 g per fruit with a slender stalk about 4.0 cm long. The seed is ovoid-elliptic, 2.9 cm in length and 1.7 cm in width, averaging 3.3 g per seed, with 310 seeds per kilogram. The kernel extraction rate is 26%, and the kernel meat yield exceeds 75%. The kernels are large with thin shells and relatively low stickiness. It has weak resistance to waterlogging and wind, with no distinct alternate bearing.

　　 　　(4) Big Golden Drop: Mainly grown in Tancheng, Shandong and Pi County, Jiangsu. The fruit is long-oval, resembling an earring, hence the name. The fruit is 2.9 cm in length and 2.4 cm in width, averaging 10 g per fruit with a longer stalk. The seed is long-oval, 2.7 cm in length and 1.6 cm in width, averaging 2.8 g per seed, with 360 seeds per kilogram. The kernel extraction rate is 25.4%, the kernels are large, the shells are thin, and the kernel meat is highly sticky. It grows rapidly and is high-yielding, with drought resistance, waterlogging tolerance, and poor soil adaptability.

　　 　　(5) Big Round Bell: Commonly cultivated in Tancheng, Shandong and Pi County, Jiangsu. The fruit is nearly spherical, 2.9 cm in length and 2.8 cm in width, averaging 13.7 g per fruit with a crooked stalk. The seed is short and round, 2.5 cm in length and 2.1 cm in width, averaging 3.6 g per seed, with 280 seeds per kilogram. The kernel extraction rate is 26.1%, the kernels are large, the shells are thin, and the kernel meat is full. The tree is vigorous, fast-growing, highly resistant, quick to mature, early to bear fruit, and yields stably with high output, but requires high fertilizer and water conditions.

　　 　　(6) Buddha Finger: Mainly grown in Taixing, Jiangsu. Also cultivated in Pi County, Jiangsu and Tancheng, Shandong. The fruit is obovate-oblong, 3.1 cm in length and 2.4 cm in width, averaging 13.3 g per fruit with a slender stalk about 5 cm long. The seed is obovate-oblate, 2.7 cm in length and 1.7 cm in width, averaging 3.3 g per seed, with 310 seeds per kilogram. The kernel extraction rate is 28%, the kernels are large, the shells are thin, and the quality is excellent.

　　 　　(7) Dongting Emperor: Primarily grown in Wu County, Jiangsu; Lingchuan and Xing’an, Guangxi. The fruit is obovate, 3.6 cm in length and 2.8 cm in width, averaging 17.6 g per fruit with a 4.3 cm stalk. The seed is ovoid-elliptic, 3.1 cm in length and 1.9 cm in width, averaging 3.6 g per seed, with 280 seeds per kilogram.

　　 　　(8) Big Horse Bell: Mainly grown in Zhuji, Zhejiang; Pi County, Jiangsu; and Tancheng, Shandong. The fruit is oblong, 2.6 cm in length and 2.3 cm in width, averaging 13 g per fruit with a broad, flat stalk about 3 cm long. The seed is oval, 2.2 cm in length and 1.6 cm in width, averaging 3.4 g per seed, with 300 seeds per kilogram. The kernel extraction rate is 27%. The kernel meat is sweet and highly sticky.

　　 　　[Harvesting and Processing] Harvest when the seeds are ripe in autumn, remove the fleshy outer seed coat, slightly steam or briefly boil, then dry.　

　　 　　1. Ginkgo (Ginkgo Nut): From September to November, when the outer seed coat turns orange-yellow or naturally matures and falls, collect the fruits. After harvesting, pile them in a shady, damp place or soak them in a vat to allow the flesh to rot. Then remove them, peel off the fleshy outer seed coat in clean water, rinse thoroughly, sun-dry, and store for later use. At the same time, break the shell and extract the kernel, known as raw ginkgo nut kernel. Processing methods such as steaming, frying, or roasting can be used; after breaking the shell and removing the kernel, it becomes cooked ginkgo nut kernel.

　　 　　2. Ginkgo Leaf: Should be collected from October to November. Leaves exposed to autumn frost are dried, impurities removed, and used medicinally. In August, before the leaves turn yellow, they can be collected for extraction, as their total flavonoid and ginkgolide content is high. Therefore, green leaves before yellowing are mostly harvested for extraction. Since ginkgo extracts have stable therapeutic effects on cerebrovascular sclerosis, they are popular both domestically and internationally, with the extract selling for up to $800 per kilogram, thus cultivating ginkgo can yield good economic benefits.

　　 　　[Preparation] Used fried or raw. Ginkgo nut kernel: Remove impurities and hard shells. Cooked ginkgo nut: Take cleaned ginkgo nuts, steam, fry, or stew until cooked, then remove the shell.

　　 　　[Storage] Keep in a ventilated, dry place.

　　 　　[Product Grades] Divided into first, second, and third grades based on size.

　　 　　[Identification]

　　 　　I. Morphological Identification: The dried seeds are obovate or elliptic, slightly flattened, 1.5–2.5 cm in length and 1–1.8 cm in width. The outer shell (seed coat) is white, gray-white to light brownish-yellow, smooth, hard, with two ridged lines around the edge, tapering to a point at the top and having one to two round seed stalk scars at the base. Inside the shell is an elongated, flat, oval kernel, with a light brownish membrane on one end upon peeling. The kernel is pale yellow or yellow-green, white inside, powdery, with a cavity in the center. Near the top are two or more cotyledons. Slight aroma, sweet taste with mild bitterness. Preferred when the shell is white, the kernel is full, and the inside is white.

　　 　　II. Microscopic Identification: Ginkgo powder: Light yellow-brown.

　　 　　1. Starch granules are single, long-round, round, oval, or triangular, 5–18 μm in size, with dot-like, fissured, bird-wing, or trifurcate patterns; larger granules show layering.

　　 　　2. Stone cells are scattered individually or clustered in groups of several to over ten, round, oval, oblong, shell-shaped or irregular, some with protrusions, 61–322 μm in length and 27–125 μm in diameter, with thick walls, clear pits and pit canals, visible layering, some cell cavities containing yellow-brown or reddish-brown material.

　　 　　3. Inner seed coat parenchyma cells are light yellow-brown or reddish-brown, square, oblong, or polygonal.

　　 　　4. Endosperm parenchyma cells are colorless, round or oblong, filled with starch granules.

　　 　　5. Bordered pit tracheids are mostly broken, 33–72 μm in diameter, tapering or blunt at the ends.

　　 　　III. Physicochemical Identification:

　　 　　[Chemical Composition] Mainly contains flavonoids, with main components including kaempferol, quercetin, rutin, bilobetin, ginkgetin, and amentoflavone. Also contains organic acids such as quinic acid, phenols such as ginkgolic acid and bilobol, as well as ginnol, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene, etc. The toxic component is bilobol.

　　 　　The seeds contain small amounts of cyanogenic glycosides, gibberellins, and kinetin-like substances. Two types of ribonucleases have also been isolated from the endosperm. General composition: 6.4% protein, 2.4% fat, 36% carbohydrates, 6% sugar (mainly sucrose), 10 mg calcium, 218 mg phosphorus, 1 mg iron, 320 μg carotene, 50 μg riboflavin, and various amino acids.

　　 　　The outer seed coat contains toxic components such as ginkgolic acid, hydrogenated ginkgolic acid, hydrogenated ginkgolic subacid, bilobol, and ginnol. Also contains asparagine, formic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, caprylic acid, and 10-nonacosanol.

　　 　　Pollen contains various amino acids, glutamine, asparagine, proteins, citric acid, sucrose, etc. Male flowers may contain up to 4% raffinose by fresh weight.

　　 　　[Content Determination]

　　 　　[Pharmacology] 1. Various parts of the ginkgo nut, especially ginkgolic acid, can inhibit the growth of tuberculosis bacteria and have varying degrees of inhibitory effects on various bacteria and skin fungi in vitro. Overconsumption of ginkgo nuts can lead to poisoning, with symptoms including abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, cyanosis, coma, convulsions, and in severe cases, respiratory paralysis leading to death.

　　 　　2. This product can inhibit the growth of tuberculosis bacteria and has varying degrees of inhibitory effects on various Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and skin fungi. It has expectorant effects and a mild relaxing effect on bronchial smooth muscle. It has anti-aging properties, and ginkgo A has anti-allergic effects.

　　 　　[Properties, Flavor, and Meridian Tropism]

　　 　　1. Properties and Flavor: Sweet, bitter, astringent, neutral, toxic.

　　 　　① "Compendium of Materia Medica on Diet": "Sweet and bitter in flavor, non-toxic."

　　 　　② "Materia Medica of Southern Yunnan": "Sweet in flavor, neutral in nature, cold in property."

　　 　　③ "Compendium of Materia Medica": "Sweet, bitter, neutral, and astringent." "When cooked, slightly bitter with a hint of sweetness, warm in nature, mildly toxic." Neutral in nature, sweet, bitter, and astringent in flavor. Enters meridians.

　　 　　2. Meridian Tropism: Enters the lung and kidney meridians.

　　 　　① "Compendium of Materia Medica": "Enters the lung meridian."

　　 　　② "Collection of Materia Medica Discourses": "Enters the lung and large intestine meridians."

　　 　　③ "Revised Materia Medica": "Enters the heart, lung, and kidney meridians."

　　 　　[Efficacy] Calms wheezing, regulates leukorrhea and turbidity, reduces urinary frequency. Used for excessive phlegm with wheezing and cough, white turbid leukorrhea, enuresis, and frequent urination.

　　 　　① "Book on Prolonging Life from Three Elements": "Eating raw relieves alcohol intoxication."

　　 　　② "Materia Medica of Southern Yunnan": "For boils that do not come to a head, steam white fruit flesh with glutinous rice, mix with honey into pills; mash with walnuts into a paste for oral administration to treat choking sensation due to indigestion, vomiting after eating, white turbid leukorrhea, and cold strangury; mash and apply to the temples to relieve migraine and eye pain, or apply to unnamed swellings and toxins."

　　 　　③ "Essentials of Materia Medica Classification": "Eating roasted reduces urinary frequency."

　　 　　④ "Introduction to Medicine": "Clears turbid qi from the lungs and stomach, transforms phlegm, calms wheezing, and relieves cough."

　　 　　⑤ "Compendium of Materia Medica": "Cooked, warms the lungs, benefits qi, calms wheezing and cough, reduces urinary frequency, and stops white turbid leukorrhea; raw, reduces phlegm, disinfects, and kills parasites; (mashed) applied to face, hands, and feet to remove pimples, dark spots, wrinkles, scabies, impetigo, and pubic lice."

　　 　　⑥ "Revised Materia Medica": "Benefits qi and nourishes heart, nourishes kidney and yin, relieves cough and irritability, promotes tissue regeneration, drains pus and toxins, and eliminates sores, scabies, abscesses, and tumors."

　　 　　⑦ "Concise Readings on Materia Medica": "Regulates lung metal upward to relieve cough, clears downward damp turbidity and transforms phlegm."

　　 　　⑧ "Modern Practical Chinese Medicine": "Kernel treats wheezing, dizziness, tinnitus, chronic gonorrhea, and leukorrhea in women. Crushed fruit flesh used as a poultice has blistering effects; soaked in vegetable oil for over a year, used for tuberculosis."

　　 　　⑨ "Shandong Materia Medica": "Treats spermatorrhea and enuresis."

　　 　　[Clinical Applications]

　　 　　I. Treats asthma, phlegm cough, leukorrhea, white turbidity, spermatorrhea, gonorrhea, and urinary frequency.

　　 　　1. Calms lung and soothes wheezing, reduces phlegm volume: Suitable for cough and wheezing with rebellious qi and excessive phlegm, applicable regardless of cold or heat pattern.

　　 　　2. Consolidates collapse and stops leukorrhea, removes dampness: Used for white turbid leukorrhea. Applicable regardless of lower yuan deficiency with clear and thin leukorrhea, or damp-heat pouring downward with yellow and turbid leukorrhea, can be combined accordingly based on symptoms.

　　 　　3. Expels phlegm and calms wheezing: Used to treat wheezing and cough with excessive phlegm, can eliminate phlegm and calm wheezing.

　　 　　4. Consolidates and removes dampness: Can treat red and white leukorrhea, white turbid urine, urinary frequency, and enuresis.

　　 　　II. Treats tuberculosis

　　 　　Has some effect on improving symptoms. After medication, some patients show varying degrees of improvement in symptoms such as fever, night sweats, cough, wheezing, hemoptysis, and loss of appetite. Usage: Before the Mid-Autumn Festival, pick semi-green, semi-yellow ginkgo nuts (select large grains with no surface damage), do not wash or remove stems, then soak them in raw vegetable oil for 100 days before use. Take 1 nut each in the morning, noon, and evening (reduce dosage for children), before meals, and continue for 1–3 months depending on condition.

　　 　　[Usage and Dosage] 4.5–9g, decocted in water for oral administration. Internal use: decocted in soup, 1.5–3 qian; mashed juice or made into pills or powder. External use: mashed and applied as a poultice.

　　 　　[Contraindications] Contraindicated in cases with excess pathogenic factors.

　　 　　① "Everyday Materia Medica": "Excessive consumption causes qi stagnation and wind movement. Children who eat too much may become dizzy, suffer convulsions, and develop malnutrition. Eating with eel causes soft wind (a type of paralysis)."

　　 　　② "Compendium of Materia Medica": "Excessive consumption causes abdominal distension."

　　 　　[Selected Prescriptions]

　　 　　①For wheezing: 21 ginkgo seeds (shelled, crushed, and stir-fried until yellow), 3 qian ephedra, 2 qian perilla seed, 1 qian licorice, 3 qian coltsfoot flower, 1.5 qian apricot kernel (peeled and de-pointed), 3 qian mulberry bark (honey-fried), 1.5 qian scutellaria (lightly stir-fried), 3 qian processed pinellia (if unavailable, soak in licorice decoction seven times, remove the hilum before use). Boil in 3 cups of water down to 2 cups, divide into two doses, take one cup each time at any time. (From *Prescriptions for Health Preservation* — Calming Wheezing Decoction)

　　 　　②For nocturnal emission: 3 ginkgo seeds. Boil in wine and eat, continue for 4–5 days. (From *Hunan Materia Medica*)

　　 　　③For leukorrhea and lower yuan deficiency: 5 qian each of ginkgo, lotus seed, and glutinous rice. Grind into powder, use one black-boned chicken, remove its entrails, stuff with the powder, cook until soft, and eat on an empty stomach. (From *Binhhu’s Concise Prescriptions*)

　　 　　④For pediatric diarrhea: 2 ginkgo seeds, 1 egg. Remove the skin from the ginkgo, grind into powder, break the egg and make a hole, insert the ginkgo powder, cook until done, and eat. (From Inner Mongolia’s *Selected Materials on New Treatments Using Chinese Herbal Medicine*)

　　 　　⑤For various intestinal wind and visceral toxicity: 49 raw ginkgo seeds. Remove shell and membrane, mash, mix with powdered herbal paste, form into pills the size of marbles. Take 3 pills each time on an empty stomach, chew finely and swallow with rice water. (From *Essentials of Diagnosis and Treatment*)

　　 　　⑥For tooth decay: Raw ginkgo, chew one after each meal for good results. (From *Yonglei Qianfang*)

　　 　　⑦For red nose or rosacea: Ginkgo and fermented glutinous rice wine lees. Chew together until mashed, apply at night and wash off in the morning. (From *Medical Forest Collection*)

　　 　　⑧For tinea on head and face: Slice raw ginkgo seeds and rub frequently for effectiveness. (From *Secretly Transmitted Empirical Prescriptions*)

　　 　　⑨For anal fistula: Raw ginkgo, pound and apply. (From *Emergency Immortal Prescriptions*)

　　 　　⑩For ruptured mastitis: 1/2 jin ginkgo. Grind 4 liang into a powder and take with wine, grind another 4 liang and apply topically. (From *Easy Emergency Prescriptions*)

　　 　　【Discussion on the Formula】

　　 　　【Adverse Reactions】Eating raw ginkgo may cause poisoning symptoms 1–12 hours after consumption, including fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, convulsions, and breathing difficulties. In severe cases, death may occur due to respiratory failure. A few individuals may experience sensory disturbances or lower limb paralysis. Do not consume excessive amounts of ginkgo. This caution also applies to food products made from ginkgo. The outer seed coat of ginkgo is toxic and can irritate the skin, causing contact dermatitis or blisters. Some people may also develop allergic dermatitis upon contact.

　　 　　Ginkgo poisoning has been recorded since ancient times and is still reported frequently in recent years. Most cases occur during the autumn ginkgo ripening season due to overconsumption from frying or boiling. Children under 10 years old are most affected, though adults are occasionally affected as well. The amount ingested by poisoned individuals ranges from 7 to 150 seeds for children and 40 to 300 seeds for adults. The onset of symptoms varies from 1 to 12 hours after consumption. The main symptoms affect the central nervous system, including vomiting, coma, drowsiness, fear, convulsions, or sluggishness, elevated body temperature, difficulty breathing, cyanosis, pinpoint or dilated pupils, sluggish pupillary light reflex, as well as abdominal pain and diarrhea. Total white blood cell count and neutrophil levels are elevated. A few cases also show peripheral nerve dysfunction, presenting as complete flaccid paralysis or mild paralysis in both lower limbs, with loss of tactile and pain sensation. Most patients recover with treatment, but some may die due to severe poisoning or delayed rescue. It is generally believed that the likelihood and severity of poisoning are closely related to age, physical condition, and the amount consumed. The younger the age, the higher the risk and severity of poisoning; the greater the amount consumed and the weaker the physique, the higher the mortality rate.

　　 　　【Modern Clinical Research】

　　 　　【Culinary Use】Ginkgo seeds are neutral in nature, sweet, bitter, astringent, and slightly toxic.

　　 　　They can moisten the lungs, calm wheezing, astringe essence, stop leukorrhea, and are suitable for both cold and heat conditions.

　　 　　Treat asthma, phlegm cough, leukorrhea, turbid urine, nocturnal emission, gonorrhea, and frequent urination.

　　 　　1. Astringe the lungs and calm wheezing, reduce phlegm: Suitable for coughing and wheezing with rebellious qi and excessive phlegm, whether the condition is cold or heat in nature.

　　 　　2. Astringe and stop leukorrhea, eliminate dampness: Used for turbid leukorrhea. Whether due to lower yuan deficiency with clear and thin leukorrhea, or damp-heat pouring downward causing yellow and turbid leukorrhea, it can be used with appropriate combinations.

　　 　　3. Expel phlegm and calm wheezing: Used to treat wheezing and coughing with excessive phlegm, can eliminate phlegm and calm wheezing.

　　 　　4. Astringe and eliminate dampness: Can treat leukorrhea, turbid urine, frequent urination, and enuresis.

　　 　　【Legendary Stories】

　　 　　【Notes】:

　　 　　1.【Chinese Patent Medicine】

　　 　　1). Ginkgo Dew: 476.2 g ginkgo seeds, 714.3 g water dropwort. Crush the ginkgo seeds, percolate with 60% ethanol, recover the ethanol from the percolate; boil the water dropwort twice, combine the decoctions, filter, and concentrate into a clear paste (1 ml equivalent to 2 g of total herbs), cool and mix with an equal amount of ethanol, let stand for 24 hours, filter and recover ethanol; combine with the ginkgo seed extract, let stand for 3 days, filter; prepare 314.3 g sucrose into simple syrup, mix with appropriate amounts of menthol, almond flavor, and preservatives, then mix with the above filtrate, add water to 1,000 ml. This product is a light brown liquid; aromatic and sweet. Relative density should be 1.15–1.18. Functions to relieve cough, resolve phlegm, and calm wheezing. Used for acute and chronic bronchitis, difficulty in expectoration, and persistent cough with wheezing. Oral, 10–15 ml each time, 3–4 times daily. [Ministry of Health]<药品标准·中药成方制剂) (第二册) 1990年〕

　　 　　2). Bairening Tablets: 1,200 g ginkgo (peeled), 600 g indigo naturalis, 600 g bulbus fritillariae ussuriensis. Except for indigo naturalis, crush the other two ingredients into coarse powder, soak three times with 70% ethanol using the maceration method, combine the extracts, recover ethanol, concentrate into paste, dry, crush, sieve; mix the paste powder with indigo naturalis and appropriate excipients, crush, sieve, granulate, dry, size, add lubricant, mix, compress into tablets, and coat. Tablet weight 0.1 g. After removing the sugar coating, it appears brownish; taste mild. Functions to clear heat, resolve phlegm, relieve cough, and calm wheezing. Used for pediatric whooping cough. Oral, for children under 1 year old, 2 tablets each time; 1–3 years old, 3–4 tablets each time, 3 times daily. (From *Jilin Provincial Drug Standards*, 1986)

　　 　　2. Is it a medical insurance drug? Yes

　　 　　3. Is it an over-the-counter drug? Prescription

　　 　　4. China’s Famous Trees

　　 　　In Xincun Township, Tancheng County, Linyi City, Shandong Province, there is a ginkgo tree said to be “3,000 years old.” Locals call it the “Old Divine Tree.” In 2004, it was named a “China Famous Tree” by the National Greening Committee.

　　 　　5. Value: Ginkgo, also known as white fruit, is the oldest surviving species of seed plant. Botanists often compare ginkgo to dinosaurs, and it is referred to as the “panda of the plant world.” As a type of dried fruit, ginkgo ranks third in economic value among numerous dried fruits. The value of white fruit is mainly reflected in its use for food and medicine.

　　 　　Consuming white fruit promotes health and longevity. Ginkgo was listed as a royal tribute during the Song Dynasty. Japanese people have the habit of eating white fruit daily. Westerners consider white fruit essential during Christmas. In terms of consumption methods, ginkgo is mainly used in frying, roasting, boiling, as a side dish, in pastries, candied fruits, canned goods, beverages, and alcoholic drinks.

　　 　　The medicinal use of white fruit is primarily seen in three areas: medicine, pesticides, and veterinary drugs. Li Shizhen of the Ming Dynasty once said: “It enters the lung meridian, benefits the spleen, calms wheezing and coughing, and reduces urination.” Zhang Lu’s *Ben Jing Feng Yuan* from the Qing Dynasty recorded that white fruit has functions such as reducing phlegm, detoxifying, and killing parasites, and can treat conditions like “scabies, carbuncles, abscesses, mastitis, ulceration, tooth decay, infantile diarrhea, leukorrhea, chronic gonorrhea, spermatorrhea, and enuresis.” In the Ming Dynasty, proprietary Chinese medicines made from white fruit were developed in regions like Jiangsu and Sichuan for clinical use. The outer seed coat of ginkgo contains large amounts of ginkgolic acid and ginkgo flavonoids. Water-soluble components of the outer seed coat have good antitussive and expectorant effects, similar to cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone. Alcohol-based intermediates from the outer seed coat have an 81% inhibition rate against 22 common clinical pathogenic fungi. A 0.1% concentration of ginkgolic acid inhibits 25 types of clinical pathogenic fungi with a 92% effectiveness rate. Additionally, extracts from the outer seed coat inhibit 11 types of plant pathogens, including apple anthracnose, at an 88%–100% rate. Alcohol extracts achieved a 100% control rate against cotton bollworm within three days and can also control pests like spider mites, peach aphids, and rice stem borers. According to *Folk Veterinary Herbal Medicine*, ginkgo preparations can treat livestock conditions such as overexertion-induced nasal inflammation, pulmonary abscesses, wheezing, weak lung coughs, urinary dribbling, bloody urine, and vaginal discharge in female animals. The Shandong Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Station developed a “Calming Wheezing Decoction” that treats infectious laryngotracheitis in chickens with a 95% cure rate.

　　 　　Ginkgo leaves also hold significant medicinal value. To date, over 160 chemical components of ginkgo leaf extracts have been identified, mainly including flavonoids, terpenoids, phenols, alkaloids, polyisoprenes, quinic acid, linoleic acid, shikimic acid, ascorbic acid, α-hexenal, ginkgol, and bilobalide. In the 1960s, the Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and others developed Shuxuening injections from ginkgo leaves, which were found through testing to have certain therapeutic effects on coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, and cerebrovascular diseases. Additionally, ginkgo leaves can be used as pesticides. Boiling 1 kg of leaves in 20 kg of water for 30 minutes, then steeping for 2–3 days, yields a liquid spray effective against red spiders and cabbage worms with over 90% pest control efficacy and no residue.

　　 　　Currently, there are over 50 skincare and haircare products made from ginkgo leaf extracts. In addition, health products such as ginkgo leaf beverages, ginkgo peach juice, ginkgo beer, and ginkgo tea developed using ginkgo leaves are already on the market and have yielded positive results.

　　 　　The ecological benefits of ginkgo are mainly reflected in the following: From a cultivation perspective, ginkgo is a type of fruit tree—dried fruit; and among trees, it serves as a timber species, protective species, pest-resistant species, long-lived species, and pollution-resistant species. Ginkgo has strong adaptability, making it an ideal choice for fast-growing and high-yield forests, farmland shelterbelts, roadside trees, embankment protectors, beach protectors, village protectors, agroforestry, and greening around homes and public spaces. It not only provides a large quantity of high-quality timber, leaves, and seeds but also purifies the air, conserves water sources, prevents wind erosion, stabilizes soil, improves microclimates in farmland, and serves as an excellent species for afforestation, greening, and ornamental purposes. It holds great significance for adjusting agricultural and forestry planting structures across China and for the development of forestry in plain farming regions. Ginkgo wood is high quality and expensive, often referred to as “silver fragrant wood” or “silver wood.” Ginkgo timber has a lustrous finish, straight grain, fine texture, easy workability, resistance to warping and cracking, strong decay resistance, easy paint adhesion, low nail withdrawal strength, and a unique medicinal fragrance, along with strong resistance to insect damage. In addition to being used for carving plaques and wooden fish and other crafts, ginkgo wood can also be crafted into high-end furniture such as wardrobes and desks. Ginkgo wood has resonant, sound-conducting, and elastic properties, making it ideal for musical instrument production. It can be used for surveying tools, pen shafts, and other cultural supplies, as well as premium materials for making chessboards, chess pieces, sports equipment, seals, and small handicrafts. In industrial production, silver wood is most suitable for making X-ray machine filters, textile printing rollers, molds, wooden molds for lacquerware, plywood, cutting boards, and wooden telephones.