[Treatment of senile macular degeneration with Ginkgo biloba extract. A preliminary double-blind drug vs. placebo study].

Senile macular degeneration is a frequent cause of blindness for which there is no satisfactory medical treatment. A double-blind trial comparing Ginkgo biloba extract with a placebo was conducted in 10 out-patients at the Hôpital Foch. Drug effectiveness was assessed on the results of fundoscopy and of measurements of visual acuity and visual field. In spite of the small population sample, a statistically significant improvement in long distance visual acuity was observed after treatment with Ginkgo biloba extract. The assumed pathogenesis of senile macular degeneration is discussed with emphasis on free oxygenated radicals.