TUESDAY, July 30, 2002 (HealthDayNews) -- Stanford University researchers want to see whether the popular herbal extract ginkgo biloba can actually walk the walk when it comes to treating peripheral artery disease -- narrowing of the arteries caused by a buildup of cholesterol.
They're looking for volunteers who suffer from leg discomfort caused by peripheral artery disease to take part in a study of ginkgo biloba.
"Many with peripheral artery disease are surprisingly unaware of the impairment of their arteries. Only about one-quarter have clear-cut pain when walking," says Christopher Gardner, an assistant research professor of medicine at Stanford University Medical Center.
"The main goal of this study is to find out if people who take gingko biloba will be able to increase the distance they are able to walk free of pain or discomfort," Gardner says.
The 72 study volunteers will be randomly given ginkgo biloba or placebos. Over the course of the 48-week trial, they'll have to report four times to walk on a treadmill and give blood samples.
Gingko biloba is commonly prescribed by doctors in Europe for patients with peripheral artery disease. But whether it's actually effective is open to debate. Gingko biloba is one of the most popular herbal products in the United States.
Peripheral artery disease affects about 14 percent of Americans over age 50. It's most common in people who have diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease and in those who smoke.
Walking is considered one of the best self-help treatments for peripheral artery disease. But people with advanced artery narrowing may suffer extreme pain after walking for just short periods.
More information
If you're interested in participating in the study, call coordinator Joel Nicholus at 650-723-7022. For a fuller explanation of peripheral artery disease, you can read this American Heart Association primer.
