Periwinkle
Vinca minor F: petite pervenche / NL: kleine maagdenpalm Periwinkle (or minor periwinkle) is a commonly seen as ground cover in both medicinal as ornamental gardens. It has been employed as folk medicine for more than thousand years. It is currently known in herbalism as a replacement of gingko biloba. Similarly to gingko, periwinkle activates blood circulation and it acts as vasodilator, improving blood flow to the tissues and therefore increasing cell metabolism. It enhances various brain functions such as concentration, memory; it reduces anxiety, nervousness and it relieves tinnitus and headaches. It can thus be used to prevent early ageing of the brain cells, such as observed in dementia or Alzheimer. While gingko must be avoided by those using blood thinning drugs or those with a general tendency to bleeding, periwinkle does not have the same counter-indications. Its action stimulating blood flow seems to be balanced by its high tannin content, which has an astringent effect, mak...