Ischaemic stroke patients are less likely to deteriorate mentally if they take ginkgo biloba extract in addition to low-dose aspirin in the acute phase, a new study suggests.

“Cognitive decline after stroke can result in vascular cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease,” the study authors wrote.

Importantly then, this randomised controlled trial showed stroke patients who took ginkgo as well as aspirin had better memory function, executive functions, neurological function and daily life in the six months after experiencing their stroke than those patients who took aspirin alone.