Improvement of signs and symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency and microangiopathy with Pycnogenol®: A prospective, controlled study

Cesarone, M.R.; Belcaro, G.; Rohdewald, P.; Pellegrini, L.; Ledda, A.; Vinciguerra, G.; Ricci, A.; Ippolito, E.; Fano, F.; Dugall, M.; Cacchio, M.; Di Renzo, A.; Hosoi, M.; Stuard, S.; Corsi, M.

doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2010.04.009

« Previous Next »Phytomedicine
Volume 17, Issue 11 , Pages 835-839, September 2010

Improvement of signs and symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency and microangiopathy with Pycnogenol^®: A prospective, controlled study

M.R. Cesarone
- Irvine2 Vascular Lab and Physiology, Dept of Biomedical Sciences, G D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara University, San Valentino Vascular Screening Project, Faculty of Motory Sciences, L’Aquila University, Italy
G. Belcaro
- Irvine2 Vascular Lab and Physiology, Dept of Biomedical Sciences, G D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara University, San Valentino Vascular Screening Project, Faculty of Motory Sciences, L’Aquila University, Italy
P. Rohdewald
- Twenteweg 15, 48161 Münster, Germany
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +49 251 8714405; fax: +49 251 8714403.
L. Pellegrini
- Irvine2 Vascular Lab and Physiology, Dept of Biomedical Sciences, G D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara University, San Valentino Vascular Screening Project, Faculty of Motory Sciences, L’Aquila University, Italy
A. Ledda
- Irvine2 Vascular Lab and Physiology, Dept of Biomedical Sciences, G D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara University, San Valentino Vascular Screening Project, Faculty of Motory Sciences, L’Aquila University, Italy
G. Vinciguerra
- Irvine2 Vascular Lab and Physiology, Dept of Biomedical Sciences, G D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara University, San Valentino Vascular Screening Project, Faculty of Motory Sciences, L’Aquila University, Italy
A. Ricci
- Irvine2 Vascular Lab and Physiology, Dept of Biomedical Sciences, G D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara University, San Valentino Vascular Screening Project, Faculty of Motory Sciences, L’Aquila University, Italy
E. Ippolito
- Irvine2 Vascular Lab and Physiology, Dept of Biomedical Sciences, G D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara University, San Valentino Vascular Screening Project, Faculty of Motory Sciences, L’Aquila University, Italy
F. Fano
- Irvine2 Vascular Lab and Physiology, Dept of Biomedical Sciences, G D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara University, San Valentino Vascular Screening Project, Faculty of Motory Sciences, L’Aquila University, Italy
M. Dugall
- Irvine2 Vascular Lab and Physiology, Dept of Biomedical Sciences, G D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara University, San Valentino Vascular Screening Project, Faculty of Motory Sciences, L’Aquila University, Italy
M. Cacchio
- Irvine2 Vascular Lab and Physiology, Dept of Biomedical Sciences, G D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara University, San Valentino Vascular Screening Project, Faculty of Motory Sciences, L’Aquila University, Italy
A. Di Renzo
- Irvine2 Vascular Lab and Physiology, Dept of Biomedical Sciences, G D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara University, San Valentino Vascular Screening Project, Faculty of Motory Sciences, L’Aquila University, Italy
M. Hosoi
- Irvine2 Vascular Lab and Physiology, Dept of Biomedical Sciences, G D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara University, San Valentino Vascular Screening Project, Faculty of Motory Sciences, L’Aquila University, Italy
S. Stuard
- Irvine2 Vascular Lab and Physiology, Dept of Biomedical Sciences, G D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara University, San Valentino Vascular Screening Project, Faculty of Motory Sciences, L’Aquila University, Italy
M. Corsi
- Irvine2 Vascular Lab and Physiology, Dept of Biomedical Sciences, G D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara University, San Valentino Vascular Screening Project, Faculty of Motory Sciences, L’Aquila University, Italy

published online 25 June 2010.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of standardized French maritime pine bark extract Pycnogenol^® in patients with severe chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). 98 subjects with symptomatic CVI and edema were randomly assigned to one group treated with 150mg Pycnogenol a day only, another group with stockings only and a third group with both Pycnogenol and elastic stockings. The average ambulatory venous pressure (AVP) at inclusion was 58±7mmHg (range 48–60mmHg) with a refilling time (RT)<12s (average 7±2s). The duration of the disease was on average 6.0±3.1 years. There were no differences in AVP or RT among the 3 groups at inclusion and microcirculatory and clinical evaluations were comparable.

After 8 weeks treatment there was a significant decrease of rate of ankle swelling, resting flux, transcutaneous pO₂ and clinical symptom scores in all groups with significantly better results for the combination treatment. Pycnogenol alone was more effective than compression alone for all parameters (p<0.05). No side-effects were observed; compliance and tolerability were very good.

This study corroborates a significant clinical role for Pycnogenol in the management, treatment and control of CVI also in combination with compression.

Keywords: Chronic venous disease, Venous hypertension, Varicose veins, Leg swelling, Pycnogenol, Venous microangiopathy