Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract

Single-ingredient ginkgo leaf extract reference formula at 120 mg per serving, developed as a capsule or tablet.

Ginkgo is a reference formula for brands building a single-ingredient botanical extract product at a default amount of 120 mg of ginkgo extract per serving. The extract is the only active ingredient, so the development work centers on the standardization of the extract (flavone glycosides and terpene lactones), the fill weight of a botanical powder, and the label statements that go with a herbal ingredient.

Capsule is the lead format because a 120 mg extract fits a small standard capsule, while the tablet uses a compression system with a coating. A 60 mg option sits beside the default, and a 240 mg daily total is reached with two units, which is the amount discussed in the trial literature.

Ingredient Composition

IngredientPer ServingRaw Material FormAlternative Form (same amount of active)
Ginkgo120 mg (default amount)Ginkgo biloba leaf extract standardized to flavone glycosides and terpene lactones, for example the Ginkgo Biloba Extract 24% Flavone Glycosides + 6% Terpene Lactones grade; specification 120 mg extract per servingGeneral Ginkgo Biloba Extract Powder with a different standardization, with the input recalculated so that the standardized content per serving is kept

Amounts are stated as mg of ginkgo extract, not of its marker compounds. For a 24% and 6% grade, a 120 mg serving carries about 28.8 mg of flavone glycosides and 7.2 mg of terpene lactones, and a grade with different assays changes both numbers and the input weight. Seed extracts and whole leaf powders are different raw materials and are not part of this specification.

Intended Benefits & Formula Rationale

This formula is designed for products positioned around botanical brain and circulatory nutrition. Ginkgo extract is included as the single active so that the standardization, the amount and the excipient system can be set without interaction with other actives.

Intended Benefit DirectionKey IngredientsFormulation Rationale
Botanical brain and circulatory nutritionGinkgoIncluded as a popular herbal preparation used to improve brain and circulatory health, for which neuroprotective effects are described as biologically plausible [1]. Evidence: Referenced
Cognitive studiesGinkgoA Cochrane review of 82 studies found that ginkgo probably has little or no effect at six months in mild cognitive impairment, and low-certainty evidence of small to moderate benefits in dementia [1]; a meta-analysis of nine trials of the extract at 240 mg per day reported benefits in cognition and daily living [2]. Evidence: Mixed

The reference amounts are 60 and 120 mg per unit, so the trial dose of 240 mg per day is reached with two units of the default. Amount, claims and target market are brand decisions reviewed for each sales market, together with the interaction note below.

Available Formats

The ginkgo reference formula is built for a capsule version and a tablet version; counts per serving are design choices that the brand can adjust.

FormatUnitPer ServingPack SizeOther Ingredients (typical)Suitability
Capsule1 capsule120 mg extract60 or 120 capsulesCellulose, dicalcium phosphate, vegetable cellulose capsule shellLead format; extract in a small fill
Tablet1 tablet120 mg extract60 or 100 tabletsMicrocrystalline cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, croscarmellose sodium, magnesium stearate, film coatCoated unit that covers the bitter note

Raw Material Input & Fill (Design Estimate)

Design estimates. The input is the labeled extract weight at an assumed 100% assay of the extract as purchased, so 120 mg of extract per serving is used as the input; the content of flavone glycosides and terpene lactones follows from the grade and is set in the specification.

FormatRaw Material Input per UnitDesign FillBalance for ExcipientsVerification Before Scale-Up
Capsule120 mg extract250 mg per capsule130 mgFlow, fill weight variation, flavone glycoside and terpene lactone assay
Tablet120 mg extract300 mg tablet weight180 mgHardness, disintegration, coating integrity, marker assay

Liquid and powder versions are separate projects, because fresh-plant liquids and gram-level powders in the reference set are different raw materials with their own specifications.

Formulation Considerations

Standardization sets the dose. The same 120 mg of extract carries different amounts of flavone glycosides and terpene lactones depending on the grade. The specification names both assays, and a change of grade is a change of dose.
Interaction note. A safety review lists possible interactions of ginkgo with monoamine oxidase inhibitors, alprazolam, haloperidol, warfarin and nifedipine, and attributes antiplatelet effects to the flavone and terpene lactone fractions [3]. Label statements for each sales market are reviewed before a product is developed.
Bitter, dark extract. The extract is dark and bitter, so a coated tablet or an opaque capsule shell covers it, and color and taste are checked in the pilot run.
Dose range in the literature. The same review describes doses from 80 to 720 mg per day for two weeks to two years [3], and the Cochrane review reports differences between mild cognitive impairment and dementia groups [1]. The amount tier is therefore a market decision.

Customization Options

Brands adjust the extract weight, the standardization grade, the format and the add-ons.

ParameterRangeNote
Extract per serving60 or 120 mgOptions for the brand; a 240 mg daily total uses two units
StandardizationFlavone glycoside and terpene lactone grade set with the supplierChanges the marker amounts per serving and the input weight
FormatCapsule or tabletLiquid and powder are separate projects
Pack size30 to 120 unitsSet by the brand
Add-onsPhosphatidylserine, vitamin B complex, bacopaA second active reshapes the fill weight and the specification

The pilot run confirms flow and fill weight of the extract blend, coating adhesion on the tablet, taste and color, and the assay of the flavone glycosides and terpene lactones in the first units against the specification.

Technical Status & Data Sources

ItemStatusDetails
Reference formulaNIH DSLDThe ingredient and amount come from a labeled product in the NIH DSLD (120 mg on the label of CF000110; example DSLD labels 856, 22437, 31994). The label names the ingredient as ginkgo extract; a standardized leaf extract is set as the form.
SpecificationSet in formulationGinkgo biloba leaf extract, 120 mg per serving, standardized to flavone glycosides and terpene lactones; marker assays, ginkgolic acid, solvent residue and heavy-metal limits and method are fixed with the supplier. Unit size, fill weight and stability are set in formulation.
Data sourceNIH DSLDDSLD v9.4.0, downloaded 2026-01-10: 50,824 reference formulas merged from on-market labels with complete ingredient amounts. Counts show how labels are distributed.
Market reviewPer marketDose limits, labeling and claims are reviewed for each sales market before a finished product is developed.
ReferencesSources[1] Wieland LS, Ludeman E, Chi Y, et al. Ginkgo biloba for cognitive impairment and dementia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2026;2(2):CD013661. DOI · PubMed<br>[2] Tan MS, Yu JT, Tan CC, et al. Efficacy and adverse effects of ginkgo biloba for cognitive impairment and dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Alzheimers Dis. 2015;43(2):589-603. DOI · PubMed<br>[3] Diamond BJ, Bailey MR. Ginkgo biloba: indications, mechanisms, and safety. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2013;36(1):73-83. DOI · PubMed

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