Vinpocetine [in progress]

Vinpocetine, also called periwinkle, is similar in effects to Ginkgo in the sense that it allows for more cerebral blood flow. However, the mechanism by which it does this as well as the other effects make it an herb of its own distinction.

Benefits:
- Antioxidant^[1]
- Neuroprotective^[2]
- Hearing Loss^[3]
- Tinnitus^[3]
- Cerebral Circulation^[4]
- Increases cerebral metabolic rate^[4]

Warnings
Should not be taken with blood thinners.
Evidence of decreasing immune function.

References
Vinpocetine Monograph

Excerpts
All the following are direct excerpts from the monograph

^[1] "Like vitamin E, vinpocetine is an effective scavenger of hydroxyl radicals.^[13]. It has also been shown to inhibit lipid peroxidation in synaptosomes of murine brain tissue and to protect against global anoxia and hypoxia in animals. Vinpocetine has decreased areas of neuronal necrosis in animal models up to 60 percent in experimentally-induced ischemia.^[10]"

^[2] "Vinpocetine has been shown to protect neurons from the toxicity of glutamate and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA).¹⁴ Vinpocetine lowers blood viscosity in patients with cerebrovascular disease,¹⁵ has significant vasodilating properties,¹⁶ decreases platelet aggregation,¹⁷ and increases and maintains erythrocyte flexibility under oxidative stress,¹⁸ all of which are potentially beneficial in cerebrovascular disease. Vinpocetine causes a selctive increase in cerebral blood flow and increases cerebral metabolic rate.^19,20"