Does Pharmanex have a patent on Bio Ginkgo 27/7?
A. Yes. U.S. Patent number 6,174,531, issued on January 16, 2001, covers both preparation methods as well as actual product composition. The research that led to the patent was a collaborative effort between the U.S. and Chinese scientific communities. Among the preparation methods covered by the patent, one of particular importance involves an extraction process. Applied to Ginkgo biloba leaves, the process yields increased amounts of one set of key ingredients, commonly referred to as the terpene lactones, along with one particular chemical component known as ginkgolide B. As a result, increased levels of ginkgolide B in BioGinkgo demonstrate improved biological activity, generating a more potent product. References to this enhanced activity have appeared in studies published in prestigious peer-reviewed journals including Planta Medica (“The Bioavailability of Ginkgolides in Ginkgo biloba Extract,” Planta Medica, vol. 63, 1997). In addition, this newly patented process is more envir
