[Ginkgo extract in impaired vision--treatment with special extract EGb 761 of impaired vision due to dry senile macular degeneration].

Abstract

The therapeutic efficacy of Ginkgo special extract Egb 761 was investigated in a controlled, double-blind trial involving 99 patients with impaired vision due to senile, dry macular degeneration. The primary objective target variable was the change in the corrected visual acuity of the more severely impaired eye at baseline, during a six months treatment period with either 240 mg/die (group I = 50 patients) or 60 mg/die (group II = 49 patients) Egb 761. Marked improvement of the study participants' vision was observed in both treatment groups already after four weeks, with more pronounced improvements in group I (acuity increases by 0.13 in group I vs. 0.10 in group II after 24 weeks). The fraction of patients with improvement of visual acuity > or = 0.2 was nearly twice as large in the group treated with 240 mg/die Egb 761 as in patients receiving the lower dosage (p = 0.08). Subjective health impairments, if present, could be improved during treatment as well. The investigator rated a favorable tolerability for both dosages of Egb 761. In conclusion, the results demonstrate the therapeutic efficacy of Egb 761 in patients with senile, dry macular degeneration, with obvious benefits in every-day life.

• Authors: P Fies, Angelika Dienel
• Journal: Wiener medizinische Wochenschrift (1946) (Wien Med Wochenschr) Vol. 152 Issue 15-16 Pg. 423-6 ( 2002) ISSN: 0043-5341 [Print] Austria
• Vernacular Title: Ginkgoextrakt bei eingeschränktem Sehvermögen--Behandlung mit dem Spezialextrakt EGb 761 bei Beeinträchtigung aufgrund seniler trockener Makuladegeneration.
• PMID: 12244891 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Chemical References

• Plant Extracts
• Ginkgo biloba extract

Topics

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Ginkgo biloba
• Humans
• Macular Degeneration (diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Phytotherapy
• Plant Extracts (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Vision, Low (diagnosis, drug therapy)