The invention discloses a method for improving the content of drug effect components of ginkgo leaf. The method comprises the following steps that: freshly picked ginkgo leaf is cleaned and then is irradiated under ultraviolet light, wherein the ultraviolet light is one or the combination of more of an UVA waveband, an UVB waveband or an UVC waveband, the irradiation intensity of the ultraviolet light is between 20 and 1000w, and the irradiation time is of the ultraviolet light is between 0.5 and 48 hours; the humidity of the air is kept between 10 and 100 percent during the irradiation; and the irradiated ginkgo leaf is dried in shade or dried in an oven, and the drying temperature is between 30 and 60 DEG C. The method can remarkably improve the content of the drug effect components of the ginkgo leaf, wherein the content of flavone compounds is improved by not less than 5 percent. The ginkgo leaf is one of hot spots of the research and the development at home and abroad in recent years; an extract (EGB) of the ginkgo leaf is widely applied to the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases; and the irradiated ginkgo leaf can become a high-quality raw material used for extracting the drug effect components thereof.