Indication: Mild hypertension

Source: Life Sci, January 2004;74(7):855-62.

Research: A placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel group study was performed with 58 patients to investigate the effects of French maritime pine bark extract, Pycnogenol®, on patients with hypertension.

Results: Supplementation of the patients with 100 mg Pycnogenol over a period of 12 weeks helped to reduce the dose of the calcium antagonist nifedipine in a statistically significant manner. The intake of Pycnogenol decreased endothelin-1 concentrations significantly compared to placebo, while concentrations of 6-keto prostaglandin F1a in plasma were significantly higher compared to placebo. Study results, according to re­searchers, support supplementation with Pycnogenol for mildly hypertensive patients.