September 13, 2006 – Maritime pine bark, also known as pycnogenol, is believed to heal foot ulcers caused by diabetes three times faster than usual treatments, according to an experimental study by Italian and German researchers1.
Thirty diabetic people with foot ulcers were randomly assigned to four groups. Eight of them received a daily oral treatment consisting of three capsules of 50 mg of pycnogenol associated with three doses of the same extract, in powder form, applied directly to the lesion. Fourteen others took the oral treatment or the topical treatment. Finally, a control group of eight other people received no medical treatment other than basic antiseptic care. All the subjects were also treated with an antiseptic. These men and women in their 50s were all taking insulin.
Foot ulcers are a common and recurring problem in people with diabetes, especially when it is not controlled.
After six weeks, the ulcer area of participants assigned to the combined treatment (oral and topical) was reduced by an average of 75%, compared to only 22% in the control group.
Also, 86% of participants taking pycnogenol, all treatments combined, achieved complete recovery compared to 61% of those in the control group. Combined treatment with pycnogenol (oral and topical) was found to be the most effective: 89% of subjects who received it healed their foot ulcer.
The extract used in this study contained a standardized content of proanthocyanidins. This class of flavonoid compounds is thought to play a role in the effective and rapid healing of ulcers. Their antioxidant activity is said to be 50 times greater than that of vitamins C and E.
The benefits of pycnogenol may be attributable to several mechanisms including a slight positive effect on glucose metabolism. However, the authors of the study mainly retain its anti-inflammatory effect which would act on the circulatory insufficiency of people with diabetes.
In the light of the results obtained, the authors wish that larger clinical trials be undertaken. They specify that they did not obtain any funding from the companies producing the equipment and products used during the study.
Marie france Coutu – PasseportSanté.net
According to NutraIngredient.com.
1. Belcaro G, Cesarone MR, et al. Diabetic Ulcers: Microcirculatory Improvement and Faster Healing With Pycnogenol, Clin Appl Thromb Hemost, vol 12, No. 3, Jul: 2006, 318-323.
