Pycnogenol Counteracts Kidney Damage

GENEVAPycnogenol®, an antioxidant plant extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree, counteracts kidney damage caused by hypertension, lowering urinary proteins and improving blood flow to the kidneys, according to a new study published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

The randomized, controlled study conducted by the G DAnnunzio University in Italy investigated 55 hypertensive patients who showed early signs of impaired kidney function, as judged by elevated amounts of proteins found in their urine. The patients were divided into two groups. Both groups were treated with anti-hypertensive medication Ramipril and one group of 29 patients took Pycnogenol in addition to the Ramipril. Urine was collected during a 24-hour period for quantification of protein (albumin) at baseline and again after six months of treatment.

All patients included in the study had an average urinary protein level of 89 mg per 24-hour period, significantly exceeding the 30 mg measure, up to which kidney function is considered sufficient. After six months of treatment with Ramipril, average protein levels decreased to 64 mg per 24-hour period, remaining well above an acceptable level. Conversely, the group taking Pycnogenol as an adjunct to Ramipril had an average of only 39 mg per 24-hour period, a decrease of nearly double compared with anti-hypertensive medication taken alone.

The study also found a statistically significant decrease in patients blood pressure when taking Pycnogenol in conjunction with Ramipril. When treated exclusively with Ramipril, systolic blood pressure values dropped by more than 30 percent and diastolic blood pressure values dropped approximately 8 percent. The addition of Pycnogenol decreased both systolic and diastolic pressures by an additional 3 percent to 6 percent. Pycnogenol also was found to lower the patients elevated levels of inflammatory marker CRP, a blood protein associated with the risk for acute cardiovascular events such as heart attack, reducing values to a healthy level.