Pycnogenol May Have Application in Asthma

Pycnogenol May Have Application in Asthma

HILLSIDE, N.J.--Natural Health Science announcedits Pycnogenol French maritime pine bark extract performed favorably in adouble blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study of asthma. The study waspresented by Ronald Watson, Ph.D., of Tucson's University of Arizona at theannual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, whichwas held in San Antonio in November. The pilot study, which involved 22patients, examined the efficiency of Pycnogenol as an anti-inflammatory andantioxidant agent in 22 asthma patients with varying degrees of severity.Patients took up to 200 mg/d of Pycnogenol for 30 days, after which time areduction in symptom severity was reported. In particular, subjects' breathingabilities were significantly improved, and the supplement also appeared toreduce serum leukotrienes (immune cells that play a role in inflammatoryresponse) in comparison to those receiving placebo.