Pine Bark Reduces Inflammation and Pain

More than 20 million Americans suffer from
osteoarthritis, with half a million Americans
having a total joint replacement each year.
A new study to be published in the April 2008
edition (Volume 22, issue No 4) of the journal
of Phytotherapy Research shows Pycnogenol
(pic-noj-en-all), an antioxidant plant extract
from the bark of the French maritime pine tree,
was shown to reduce all osteoarthritis symptoms
by 56 percent. The study revealed a particularly
high efficacy of Pycnogenol for lowering joint
pain by 55 percent. Moreover, patients required
dramatically less standard pain medication
(-58 percent), which greatly improved the
gastrointestinal complications resulting from
the pain medication by 63 percent.

"Pycnogenol seemed a natural fit for this study,"
said Dr. Gianni Belcaro, a lead researcher of
the study. "There are a few main components
contributing to the clinical picture of treatment
management in osteoarthritis: dietary and metabolic
acids that cause inflammation, is expressed in an
alteration of fatigue resistance and muscular
performance -- reversing and blocking the vascular
problems associated to altered mobility. Theoretically,
a treatment with a compound specifically active on
all those aspects could be highly effective, which
is why we chose Pycnogenol."

The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
study, held at Italy's Chieti-Pescara University,
sampled 156 patients with osteoarthritis of the
knee (OA). Patients were administered 100 mg
Pycnogenol or placebo, daily for three months.
Symptoms were evaluated by WOMAC index scores
and mobility by recording their walking
performance on a treadmill. Patients were
permitted to continue taking their choice
of pain medication provided they recorded
every tablet in a diary for later evaluation.

After three months, scores for acidic pain
dropped significantly for the Pycnogenol treatment
group and no significant effects were recorded
for the placebo group. Scores for acidic stiffness
were reduced by 53 percent. The scores for
physical function were reduced by 57 percent
in the Pycnogenol group and improvement under
placebo was not significant. The global WOMAC
score decreased following Pycnogenol treatment
and very little in the placebo group, from 56
percent vs. 9.6 percent for Pycnogenol and placebo,
respectively. Overall well-being of patients
(emotional function) was significantly enhanced
with the Pycnogenol group, by 64 percent and 15
percent for the placebo group.

Results of exercise tests on the treadmill
demonstrated an increased performance after
three months of Pycnogenol treatment. At the
start of the study, patients could only walk
a mean of 74 yards without feeling pain and
after three months, they could walk 216 yards,
compared to the placebo group that noted 71
yards at the beginning of the study and 96 yards
at the end.

Patients were allowed to use their regular
dosage of NSAIDS. Usage dropped by 58 percent
during treatment with Pycnogenol and one
percent with the placebo. Evaluation of data
demonstrated a decrease of gastrointestinal
complications of 64 percent in the Pycnogenol
group versus three percent in placebo.

"The results of this study are significant as
they clearly demonstrate the clinical action
of Pycnogenol on OA and management of symptoms.
The use of Pycnogenol many reduce costs and
side effects of anti-inflammatory agents
and offer a natural alternative solution to
people suffering from OA" said Dr. Belcaro.

Dr. Robert O. Young, a research scientist at the
pH Miracle Living center states, "Pycnogenol is
one of many powerful antioxidants that will reduce
the pain associated with dietary and metabolic acids
and other symptoms of osteoarthritis. It's high
concentration of proanthocyanadins, a member of the
bioflavonoid family, is the natural active ingredient
that helps to mediate environmental, dietary and
metabolic acids that causes inflammation and pain in
the connective tissue, bones and muscles."