Pycnogenol is made from the bark of a species of maritime pine
tree (Pinus maritima) found in southwestern France.
How It Works
Pycnogenol contains flavonoids, a group of plant compounds with
anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities. These qualities are
thought to alleviate some of the symptoms of CVI such as leg pain
and swelling by improving circulation and strengthening
capillaries in the legs. Flavonoids may also reduce the bronchial
inflammation and swelling that trigger asthma.
Evidence
Several European studies have documented Pycnogenol's ability
to alleviate the symptoms of CVI, including the swelling in the
legs that leads to varicose veins. In a study published last year
in Phytotherapy Research, 40 patients with CVI were treated daily
with either 360 mg of Pycnogenol or 600 mg of horse chestnut seed
extract (Aesculus hippocastanum), another herbal remedy commonly
used to treat CVI. After four weeks, those taking Pycnogenol
experienced a 50 percent decrease in leg pain and cramping and a
33 percent decrease in nighttime leg swelling. Patients taking
horse chestnut seed extract experienced far less relief.
Similar results were found in a double-blind study published in
an Italian journal in 2000. In the study, 40 patients with CVI
took either 100 mg of Pycnogenol three times daily or a placebo.
After 60 days, the Pycnogenol group reported 64 percent less leg
swelling and leg pain. The placebo group experienced no
significant reductions.
Research on Pycnogenol and asthma is limited, but a
double-blind, placebo-controlled study presented at the annual
American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology meeting in
November 2002 suggested it may help. The study, led by Ronald
Watson, Ph.D., of the College of Public Health at the University
of Arizona at Tucson, showed that of the participants who took
approximately 150 to 200 mg of Pycnogenol daily, 84 percent were
able to breathe easier. Pycnogenol also significantly reduced
patients' levels of serum leukotrienes, substances that promote
asthma symptoms.
How to Take It
Pycnogenol is available in capsule or tablet form at many
natural food stores and some pharmacies. It can be taken with food
or on an empty stomach.
Although some researchers administer higher doses of Pycnogenol
in clinical studies, you need to take only 1 mg per pound of body
weight to treat CVI, says Richard Passwater, Ph.D., director of
research at the Antioxidant Nutritional Research Center in Ocean
Pines, Md. Take this dose for two weeks, and then drop to 1 mg per
two pounds of body weight for four weeks. After that, take 20 to
50 mg per day to maintain any improvement.
To relieve asthma, take 1 mg of Pycnogenol for every pound of
body weight, Watson says.
Caveats
Stomach upset occurs rarely when taking Pycnogenol. Don't take
it if you're pregnant or nursing.
The Bottom Line
Studies show that Pycnogenol successfully reduces varicose
veins and other CVI symptoms and may be effective in alleviating
the symptoms of asthma.
**Statements contained herein
have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These
products are not intended to diagnose, treat and cure or prevent
disease. Always consult with your professional health care provider
before changing any medication.**
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