Pine  Bark Improves Asthma Symptoms

HOBOKEN, N.J.A new study published in Panminerva Medica found the natural supplement Pycnogenol^®an antioxidant plant extract from the bark of the French maritime pine treeimproved control of allergic asthma, while also reducing night awakening caused by asthma by nearly 50%. Patients who used Pycnogenol also experienced a reduced dependence on inhalation devices and required less visits to a doctor due to asthma.

The study was conducted at the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Pescara, Italy and examined 76 patients aged 25 to 45 years. Participants had mild to moderate allergic asthma to dust mites. The study split participants in two groups, and one group was given 100 mg of Pycnogenol per day in addition to their inhalation corticosteroid (ICS) treatments. The other group continued their use of ICS without additional supplementation.

Some of the key findings of the study were that Pycnogenol supplementation reduced 55% of study participants dependence on ICS treatment, as well as decreased the number of night awakenings due to asthma by half of the previous frequency. The supplement also lowered the amount of days with a more than one asthma score, which is used to measure a patient's level of respiratory distress.