An ancient oil, used by African tribes for its culinary, medicinal and health beneficial properties, Argan oil, became in recent years the subject of studies and research from cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies that were looking for a way to make commercial use of all these health benefits of Argan oil.

Since ancient times, indigenous Berber groups made use of Argan tree for almost every possible use, in every way, shape or form, from carpentry to construction purposes. They also knew about the health benefits of Argan oil as well, including its cosmetic, culinary and traditional medicinal uses. Argan oil became one of the rarest and most uncommon oils in the world due to its very limited and specific growing conditions and the area where it is naturally found [2], being available in areas of different geographical origin as Tidzi, Tamanar, Benaiznassen, Ait mzal, Ait Baha, Ighrem or Aoulouz [19].

Argan oil is extracted from the fruit kernels of Argania spinosa or Argan tree, a wild forest tree that grows almost exclusively in the native region from where it originates, an area between 800,000 and 900,000 hectares in the south-west of Morocco. In later July the fruits are black and dry, ready for harvest, moment in which the story begins. Image left: Noix d'argan by Jeremy Couture under Creative Commons license (CC BY 2.0).

ARGANIA SPINOSA

Family: Sapotaceae
Genus: Argania
Common name: English, Argan almond, Argan fruit, Argan oil, Moroccan fodder tree [1].

Many have been the properties and health benefits of Ginkgo biloba that have attracted the attention of most of us in the past years. Ginkgo biloba, a tree known for being among the most resistant  tree species that ever existed on earth, has been claimed to be able to inhibit the progression of human colon cancer cells [8], being effective also in the treatment of dementia [9], and as a pilot study suggested in 2005 even improve cognition in patients of multiple sclerosis (MS), more exactly the study suggested ginkgo biloba improved attention in patients of multiple sclerosis [14].

These raise among multiple sclerosis patients the common believe that Ginkgo biloba would eventually help them to improve cognitive problems associated with the disease. This has been just turn down by a study published in the journal of Neurology [14], according to which Ginkgo biloba does not improve cognitive performance in patients suffering multiple sclerosis. Image left: Ginkgo biloba by ginkgogz under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0).

GINKGO BILOBA

Family: Ginkgoaceae
Genus: Ginkgo
Common name: Ginkgo biloba, 銀杏, イチョウ, pinyin, yín xìng, Hepburn, ichō or ginnan, Maidenhair Tree

In 1848 Phineas P. Gage (picture below), a railroad construction foreman, survived an accident in which he lost most of his brain's left frontal lobe [2]. Most surprisingly Mr. Gage only reported personality and behavioral changes, but much of his cognitive function remained intact, but who doesn't have a bad day after loosing half of his brain?

This was the first case in which a human being managed to survive the lost of such a big amount of brain without loosing his cognitive function, and a very descriptive way to illustrate how we don't really use 100% of our brain, in fact it is generally believed we only use 10%.

ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS

Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Rosmarinus
Common name: Rosemary

Hormonal changes and stress are two of the main factors influencing cognitive functions in middle aged women. Cognitive difficulties include memory loss and mild cognitive impairment, two factors frequently related to Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Recent studies on how herbs and active constituents found in plants can help to prevent those symptoms and positively influence and improving cognitive function in middle aged women, linked herbs as Ginger (Zingiber officinale) as a potentiating agent for cognitive functions. Image left: Ginger plant by Learninglark under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0).

ZINGIBER OFFICINALE

Family: Zingiberaceae
Common name: Ginger