Pycnogenol

Natural substance from the group of leucoanthocyanidins or catechins. The substance is extracted from the bark of the pine tree, mostly from the French maritime pine - Pinus pinaster atlantica. Pycnogenol is soluble in water and ethanol but insoluble in ether.

In randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies, positive effects on cardiovascular health, chronic venous insufficiency, cognition, joints, skin, eyes, respiratory tract and allergies, and athletic performance have been demonstrated.

In bronchial asthma, Pycnogenol® plus inhaled croticosteroids showed a statistically significant improvement compared to the control group that only used inhaled steroids (Belcaro G et al. (2011)

Antioxidant, anti-edematous, antithrombotic, antihypertensive, antiallergic

Pycogenol for osteoarthritis: 3 major clinical studies have shown that taking pine bark extract improves osteoarthritic symptoms. The dosage for the commercial preparation "Pycnogenol®" is 100 mg to 150 mg pycogenol p.o./day.

Pycogenol in bronchial asthma: Both clinical and experimental studies postulate an anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory effect with improvement of pre-existing bronchial asthma.

Pycogenol in thrombosis: In a study of 198 passengers on long-haul flights, the effect of pine bark extract on the risk of thrombosis was investigated 15. The study participants received either 2 x 100 mg p.o. Pycogenol or placebo 2-3 h before departure. The sonographically determined thrombosis rate was significantly reduced by taking Pycogenol (see alsoTraveler's thrombosis).

Pycogenol in chronic venous insufficiency (CVI ): Several studies relate to chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). There was evidence of an improvement in leg swelling.

1. Arcangeli (2000) Pycnogenol in chronic venous insufficiency. Fitoterapia 71:236-44.
2. Belcaro Get al.(2004) Prevention of venous thrombosis and thrombophlebitis in long-haul flights with pycnogenol. Clin Appl Thromb Hemost 10:373-377.
3. Faird R et al. (2007) Pycnogenol® supplementation reduces pain and stiffness and improves physical function in adults with knee osteoarthritis. Nutr Res 27: 692-697
4. Hosseini S et al.(2001) Pycnogenol((R)) in the Management of Asthma.J Med Food 4:201-209.
5. Hosseini et al (2001) A randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled, prospective 16 weeks crossover study to determine the role of Pycnogenol in modifying blood pressure in mildly hypertensive patients. Nutr Res 21:67-76.
6. Jerez et al (2007) A comparison between bark extracts from Pinus pinaster and Pinus radiata: Antioxidant activity and procyanidin composition. Food Chemistry 100: 439-444
7. Koch R (2002) Comparative study of Venostasin and Pycnogenol in chronic venous insufficiency.Phytother Res 16 Suppl 1:S1-5.
8. Weichmann F et al. (2024) Pycnogenol® French maritime pine bark extract in randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human clinical studies. Front Nutr 2;11:1389374. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1389374. PMID: 38757130; PMCID: PMC11096518.
9. Belcaro G et al. (2011) Pycnogenol® improvements in asthma management. Panminerva Med;53(3 Suppl 1):57-64. PMID: 22108478.