Pycnogenol from French Maritime Pine Bark is good for thrombosis, type two diabetes, asthma and many other conditions

(Austin, TX) January 21, 2010.
The nonprofit American Botanical Council (ABC) has just published a monograph summarizing selected scientific and clinical studies of Pycnogenol^®, a patented dietary ingredient from French maritime pine bark.

Seventeen human clinical studies of Pycnogenol are reviewed in the monograph, evaluating the extract’s potential benefits in numerous areas. It is good for the heart and circulation and will reduce difficulties associated with chronic venous insufficiency. It also helps reduce blood clots from forming in blood vessels.
Pycnogenol could be used for a wide range of conditions, including the ability to improve blood sugar control in patients with type 2 diabetes. It will also relax the muscular walls of  blood vessels, so easing asthma. Current clinical trial data suggest that Pycnogenol may also help decrease swelling in the lower legs, benefit children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), be a useful adjunct therapy for patients with asthma, reduce pain associated with menstrual disorders, and improve subjective symptoms of osteoarthritis in the knee.
“Pycnogenol is an excellent example of a natural plant-based product which is the subject of extensive clinical research,” said ABC Founder and Executive Director Mark Blumenthal. “ABC acknowledges Horphag Research, the manufacturer, for its singular focus and for its commitment to funding continued clinical trials to investigate and document the beneficial role Pycnogenol might have in selfcare and healthcare.”
Horphag Research of Geneva Switzerland invests about $1.5 million annually in new scientific and clinical research on the special extract.

If the single isolated compound Pycnogenol, is so beneficial, I wonder what the benefits of the whole bark would be? Presumably people somewhere are using this bark, boiled up as a tea.

ABC’s 19-page monograph on Pycnogenol was written by toxicologist Heather S. Oliff, PhD, and it was formally peer reviewed by scientific and medical experts for its accuracy.

About the American Botanical Council
Founded in 1988, the American Botanical Council is a leading international nonprofit organization addressing research and educational issues regarding herbs and medicinal plants. ABC’s members include academic researchers and educators; libraries; health professionals and medical institutions; government agencies; members of the herb, dietary supplement, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries; journalists; consumers; and others within over 70 countries. The organization occupies a historic 2.5-acre site in Austin, Texas where it publishes the quarterly journal HerbalGram, the monthly e-publication HerbalEGram, HerbClips (summaries of scientific and clinical publications), reference books, and other educational materials. ABC also hosts HerbMedPro, a powerful herbal database, covering scientific and clinical publications on more than 220 herbs. ABC also co-produces the “Herbal Insights” segment for Healing Quest, a television series on PBS. Previous product-specific monographs developed by ABC have focused on CVT-E002^® (the active ingredient in the ginseng-based formulation COLD-FX^®), POM^® Wonderful Pomegranate Juice, and the herbal combination product Sinupret^®.
ABC is tax-exempt under section 501(c) (3) of the IRS Code. Information: Contact ABC at P.O. Box 144345, Austin, TX 78714-4345, Phone: 512-926-4900. Website: http://www.herbalgram.org/.
About Horphag Research
Horphag Research Ltd., founded in 1925 and based in Geneva, Switzerland, is the exclusive worldwide supplier of Pycnogenol, extracted from French maritime pine bark (Pinus pinaster). The company leads the world in Pycnogenol research, and new applications for Pycnogenol are explored every year. Pycnogenol is available in more than 700 dietary supplements, multivitamins and health products worldwide. Pycnogenol is a registered trademark of Horphag Research Ltd and its applications are protected by US and international patents. Natural Health Science, in Hoboken, NJ, is the exclusive North American raw material supplier of Pycnogenol. More information about Pycnogenol is available at the company’s website: www.pycnogenol.com.