ABC Publishes Pycnogenol Monograph

The nonprofit American Botanical Council (ABC; Austin, TX) has published a monograph summarizing a selection of scientific and clinical studies on Pycnogenol, a patented dietary ingredient from French maritime pine bark.

The monograph reviews 17 human clinical studies, which evaluate Pycnogenol for potential health benefits such as cardiovascular health and the ability to reduce difficulties associated with chronic venous insufficiency and problems related to thrombosis, the formation or presence of blood clots in blood vessels.

Based on its review, ABC...s monograph notes that Pycnogenol has been shown to have a wide range of potential benefits. Noted possible benefits include the ability of Pycnogenol to improve blood sugar control in patients with type 2 diabetes and to improve the ability of blood vessels to widen through relaxation of the muscular wall of the vessels. ABC says that clinicial trial data also suggests that Pycnogenol may help to decrease swelling in the lower legs, benefit children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, be useful as an adjunct asthma therapy, reduce pain associated with menstrual disorders, and improve subjective symptoms of osteoarthritis in the knee.

According to ABC, Pycnogenol...s manufacturer, Horphag Research (Geneva, Switzerland), annually invests $1.5 million in new scientific and clinical research on Pycnogenol.

Click here to view the monograph. It is fourth in a series of product-specific monographs from ABC.