Gingko biloba leaves

Gingko (Gingko bilobais), also spelled ginkgo, and known as the Maidenhair Tree, is a unique species of tree with no close living relatives. The tree is widely cultivated and introduced, since an early period in human history, and has various uses as a food and traditional medicine.

Extracts from the leaves of the gingko tree have shown potent free radical scavenger activity when applied to the skin.

Ginkgo flavone glycosides, mostly quercetin and kaempferol derivatives, can inhibit tyrosinase activity by chelating copper in the enzyme.

In a study conducted by the Department of Dermatology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, India it was shown that Ginkgo is an effective treatment for arresting the development of vitiligo. In the study 25 participants took 40 mg of Ginkgo biloba three times per day for 6 months. The results showed that it arrested the spread of vitiligo in 20 out of 25 participants in the active group, and induced marked (75% or greater) repigmentation in 10 of these participants.

A later study conducted by University of Toronto researchers and published in 2011 consisting of twelve patients taking 60 mg of Ginkgo biloba twice a day for 12 weeks found that the progression of vitiligo stopped in all participants; the total VASI (Vitiligo Area Scoring Index) indicated an average repigmentation of vitiligo lesions of 15%.