The fruit has been used to treat bronchial complaints and gonorrhea, to soothe stomach distress, and to kill worms. It expels mucus from the bronchioles and lungs, stops wheezing, inhibits cough, stops leucorrhea, regulates urination, stops spermatorrhea. The ripe fruit, having been macerated in sesame oil for one hundred days, has been successfully used in China for the treatment of tuberculosis. As a poultice it has been applied to cuts and wounds. These nuts have been used to calm upset people and to release phlegm from the throat. The leaves stimulate the blood circulation and have a tonic effect on the brain, reducing lethargy, improving memory and giving an improved sense of well-being. They have also been shown to be effective in improving peripheral arterial circulation and in treating hearing disorders such as tinnitus where these result from poor circulation or damage by free radicals. The leaves contain ginkgolides, these are compounds that are unknown in any other plant species. Ginkgolides inhibit allergic responses and so are of use in treating disorders such as asthma. Eye disorders and senility have also responded to treatment. The cooked seed is antitussive, astringent and sedative. It is used in the treatment of asthma, coughs with thick phlegm and urinary incontinence. The raw seed is said to have anticancer activity and also to be antivinous. It should be used with caution, however, due to reports of toxicity. The cooked seeds stabilize spermatogenesis.

Properties:

seed: astringent, expectorant, sedative, antitussive, Antiasthmatic; Antibacterial; Antifungal; Cancer; Digestive; Infertility; Ophthalmic; Tonic; Vermifuge;

Root: tonic; astringent.

Toxicity:

Since it is slightly toxic, it should not be taken in large doses over a long period of time. The shells are an antidote to the nuts and may be taken with them to help alleviate side effects. Toxic symptoms include headache, fever, tremors, irritability and dyspepsia.

Licorice also may be used antidotal with this herb. The seed contains a mildly acrimonious principle that is unstable when heated. It is therefore best to cook the seed before eating it to ensure any possible toxicity is destroyed. This acrimonious principle is probably 4 - methoxypyridoxine, which can destroy vitamin B6. It is more toxic for children, but the raw nuts would have to be eaten often over a period of time for the negative effects to become apparent.