Ginkgo in medicine, conceptual artwork. Hand holding a leaf of the gingko tree (Ginkgo biloba). An X-ray of the head is at upper centre, with four brain scans at lower left. In the background is a page from the notes of Leonardo da Vinci. Extracts of ginkgo are used in herbal medicine to improve memory and aid concentration. It increases blood flow to the brain and is used in the treatment of vertigo. Ginkgo is a tree native to eastern Asia. It has remained essentially unchanged for over 250 million years, and is considered a living fossil.