After losing credibility as a memory enhancer, ginkgo has been reinvented as a supplement that may reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.

Brigham and Women’s Hospital studied 600 women with ovarian cancer and 640 healthy control women and found that those who took ginkgo supplements had a 60 percent lower risk of ovarian cancer.

Dr. Bin Ye of Brigham and Women's breaks it down for reporters at last week's Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference: “4.2 percent of ovarian cancer-free women reported taking ginkgo regularly for at least six months before diagnosis, but only 1.6 percent of women with ovarian cancer reported taking ginkgo. This suggests that women who are using ginkgo may be less likely to develop ovarian cancer.” [via Reuters Health]