Conference paper presented at the American Oil Chemists Society (AOCS) Annual Meeting & Expo, May 2004. Theme: Cost-Effective Methods to Address the Leading Causes of Death & Chronic Diseases. Pycnogenol has the potential to counteract all important cardiovascular risk factors simultaneously.
Pycnogenol is primarily composed of phenolic acids, derivatives of benzoic and cinnamic acid, and procyanidins. The latter are biopolymers of catechin and epicatechin subunits, which are recognised as important constituents in human nutrition. Bioavailability studies in humans show that Pycnogenol® constituents enter the blood stream as early as 2 hours after consumption and significantly increase the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). In addition to the antioxidant activity, Pycnogenol enhances production of vasodilatory endothelial nitric oxide and prostacyclin. In contrast, serum concentration of vasoconstrictory mediators endothelin-1 and thromboxane are lowered in response to supplementation with Pycnogenol. This review gives an overview of clinical studies demonstrating that supplementation with Pycnogenol reduces platelet activity, lowers high blood pressure, relaxes artery constriction and improves blood circulation. Moreover, Pycnogenol reduces serum levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol and increases high-density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol. We conclude that Pycnogenol has the potential to counteract all important cardiovascular risk factors simultaneously.
By Dr. Ronald Watson, Professor of Public Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Arizona Medical, Public Health and Agriculture Schools, USA. Posted July 2, 2008.
