Utilizing the isolated lipoprotein receptor syndecan (HS-PG) from arterial endothelium and vascular matrices and coating therewith a silica surface, we were able to observe the very earliest stages of arteriosclerotic plaque development, the so-called nanoplaque for-mation, by ellipsometric techniques (pat. EP 0946876). The nano-plaque is represented by the ternary aggregational complex of the HS-PG receptor, lipoprotein particles and calcium ions. The mo-del was validated in several clinical studies with patients' blood lipoprotein fractions. In 8 high-risk patients who had undergone aortocoronary bypass operation, the reduction of nanoplaque for-mation amounted to 11.9% (p<0.0078) and of nanoplaque size to 24.4% (p<0.0234), in Krebs solution with 2.5 mmol/l [Ca²⁺] after a 2 month therapy with 2 x 120 mg Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761, Rökan^® novo). We also could directly demonstrate the anti-oxidative capacity of ginkgo and its oxygen free radical scaveng-ing effect by disclosing an upregulation of SOD activity of 15.7% (p<0.0391) and a lowering of the quotient oxLDL/LDL by 17.0% (p<0.0234). Further, we measured a significant decrease in Lp(a) concentration falling from 52.4 to 42.0 mg/dl (p<0.0359). These ginkgo effects might have partially repaired endothelial dysfunc-tion being responsible for the early stages in arteriosclerosis and could present a mechanistic explanation of nanoplaque reduction.