Ginkgo biloba in the relief of neurological symptoms after COVID-19

ABSTRACT

COVID-19 is a disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, multi-organ, with a wide spectrum of symptoms, the most common being pneumonia with fever, dry cough and shortness of breath. There are more and more reports of persistent long-term effects, especially after acute disease. Regardless of the way the virus enters the brain, it attacks neurons, contributing to neurological complications. The main symptoms of the central and peripheral nervous system are dizziness and headaches, impaired consciousness, sometimes acute ischemic stroke and intracranial hemorrhages, loss of taste and smell, visual disturbances, neuralgia and skeletal muscle damage. After recovery, patients experience symptoms such as persistent fatigue, diffuse muscle aches, symptoms of depression, non-renewable sleep, tinnitus, and erectile dysfunction. Early intervention and supportive care at the end of the acute phase of COVID-19 could alleviate the symptoms of the disease as well as prevent their long-term consequences. Taking into account plant raw materials, the standardized extract of Ginkgo leaves (Ginkgo biloba) may be useful at various stages of the disease it prevents the penetration of the virus into the host cells, has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antithrombotic properties, and above all, it is the only plant material with proven neuroprotective and neuroregulatory properties, widely used in the treatment of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other diseases and disorders related to the nervous system.