Ginkgo Biloba and Bacopa Monnieri: Two Plants With a Story Older Than Any Laboratory

Some ingredients in our supplement come out of a laboratory. Others come with a story that is thousands of years older than any laboratory.

Two of the botanicals in Protect Your Brain Cells, Ginkgo Biloba and Bacopa Monnieri, belong to the second group. One is a tree whose family goes back hundreds of millions of years. The other is a small marsh herb that has been part of traditional medicine in India for centuries.

This is the story of both plants, and an honest look at what a “traditional” ingredient does and does not tell us.

Part One: The Ginkgo, a Tree from Before the Dinosaurs

A living fossil

Walk down almost any city street in autumn and you may spot a ginkgo: fan-shaped leaves that turn a brilliant, buttery yellow before dropping all at once.

What makes the ginkgo extraordinary is how little it has changed. Its family line stretches back well over 200 million years, to a time before the dinosaurs. Botanists call it a living fossil, because it closely resembles ancient species otherwise known only from the fossil record.

The survivor

The ginkgo is also famous for its toughness. Six ginkgo trees standing a short distance from the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima were among the few living things nearby to survive. Badly charred, they recovered and grew new leaves, and the trees became a symbol of resilience and hope.

It is a striking image, even if we should be careful not to read too much into it. A tree surviving a disaster tells us about the tree, not about what its extract might do for you.

From garden tree to supplement

Ginkgo has been used in traditional Chinese medicine since at least the 11th century, and today its leaf extracts are used in food supplements. In our formula, Ginkgo Biloba is included to support healthy circulation and cognitive health.

Part Two: Bacopa, the Herb of the Wetlands

A small plant with a big name

Bacopa Monnieri is a low-growing perennial herb that thrives in wet, marshy ground. It has small, glossy, oval leaves and delicate white to pale purple flowers, and it is sometimes called water hyssop.

In India it is known as Brahmi, a name often linked to Brahma, the Hindu god of creation, a sign of how highly the plant has been regarded. Traditionally it was gathered from wetlands and prepared as powders or infusions, and it has a long history in Ayurvedic tradition.

Tradition meets research

Today, Bacopa is one of the best-known botanicals associated with memory and cognitive function, and it has been the subject of scientific study. That is why our product describes it as a botanical traditionally studied for its role in memory and cognitive function.

Tradition Is a Starting Point, not a Guarantee

Here is where honesty matters. A long history of use is interesting, and it is often what first draws researchers to a plant. But tradition on its own is not proof that something works.

Research on both plants has produced mixed results, and high-quality evidence of memory or attention benefits in healthy people remains limited, particularly for ginkgo. Studies are ongoing.

So when we talk about Ginkgo and Bacopa, we keep our claims modest:

• They are botanicals with a long history of traditional use.
• They are included in our formula for the roles described above.
• They are not a medicine, and they are not a substitute for a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.
• They work over weeks, not hours. Supplements are not like painkillers, and consistency matters most.

Why Extract Quality Matters

A plant is not one single, fixed ingredient. The amount of active compounds in a leaf varies with the soil, the weather, and the harvest. That is why the quality of an extract matters.

Our approach is to use standardised plant extracts from trusted suppliers, so that the active percentage stays consistent from batch to batch. It is one of the four principles behind how we formulate, alongside meaningful doses, carefully chosen nutrient forms, and manufacturing in a BRC-certified UK facility. You can read more on our Science page.

Where They Fit in Protect Your Brain Cells

Protect Your Brain Cells is our daily support for brain cells against oxidative stress. Alongside Ginkgo Biloba and Bacopa Monnieri, the formula includes vitamins C and E, which contribute to the protection of cells from oxidative stress, as well as zinc, which contributes to normal cognitive function.

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