Pycnogenol for Diabetes Care

8/12/2019 Pycnogenol for Diabetes Care

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2/6I Horphag Research-Geneva, SwitzerlandI Horphag Research Asia-Shanghai, ChinaI Natural Health Science-Hoboken NJ, USAI www.pycnogenol.comI HORPHAGI

Pycnogenol lowers blood glucoseycnogenoloffers help for people with pre-diabetes

n type II a etes, as t was s own to ose- epen -

nt y ower oo sugar eve s n 30 type II a etespatients not requiring medication. These patients fol-

owe a et an exerc se program ur ng t e tr a L u

t a ., 2004 .

ycnogenolwas given in a daily dosage of 50 mg per

ay or t e rst 3 wee s. T e o ow ng 3 wee s os-ge was ncrease to 100 mg an t en 200 mg or an-

ot er 3 wee s. A a y osage o 50 mg Pycnogeno

lowered both fasting and post-prandial blood glucose

s gn cant y, as compare to ase ne. H g er osages

o 100 an 200 mg Pycnogeno were more e ec-t ve.

H Ac eve s ecrease cont nuous y ur ng t e tr a

from baseline 8.02 to 7.37 at trial end. This study,

pu s e n D a etes Care, oun t at Pycnogeno

not a ect nsu n eve s. Pycnogeno appears o

facilitate blood sugar uptake by previously insulin-un-

respons ve o y ce s. T us, Pycnogeno may o er a

nutr t ona approac or peop e to prevent eve op-

ment of diabetes.

Pycnogeno was a so teste n type II a etes pa-

tients who were continuing their conventional anti-di-

a et c me cat on w t guan e met orm n an /or

su ony urea to contro yperg ycem a. Seventy seven

patients received either Pycnogenol(100 mg a day)

or pace o n a t on to t e r convent ona me ca-

t on. Fast ng oo g ucose was measure n nterva s

of two weeks over the trial period of twelve weeks.

he incidence of type II diabetes is increasing dramatically in most countries of the world. Unlike type I dia-

etes, type II is pre ominant y consi ere as nutritiona isor er. C ronic over-eating gross y contraste

y lack of physical activity leads to insulin resistance and hyperglycemia. The disease develops from early

tages of impaired glucose tolerance (Pre-diabetes; Syndrome-X) and typically coincides with increasing

o y weig t an o esity.

chronically high blood glucose level needs attention comprising routine blood sugar monitoring, medi-

ation an iet. Le t untreate yperg ycemia ta es its to on t e ea t o arteries an veins w ic supp y

oo to organs as we as t e sma capi aries w ic nouris tissues. Pat o ogica arm to arge vesse saccounts for a three-fold increased risk for acute cardiovascular disease in diabetes. The damage caused

to capillaries (microangiopathy) affects blood micro-circulation and is responsible for numerous diabetic

omp ications suc as vision oss, i ney pro ems, oot u cers an many ot ers.

Pycnogenol for Diabetes Care

200mg

200mg

100mg

100mg

50mg

50mg

3 weeks 3 weeks 3 weeks

Blood glucoseafter meal

Fastingblood glucose

13

mmol/l

12

11

10

9

8

7

230

210

190

170

150

130

mg/dL

-10.5%

-5.3%

-18.3%

-10%

-20.4%

-13.3%

Pycnogenollowers blood glucose



esp te ant - yperg ycem c me cat on ast ng oo

glucose was high at trial start with 12.0 mmol/l (216.2

g/ L an 12.14 mmo / 218.7 mg/ L n t e p ace-

o- an Pycnogeno group, respect ve y. Pycnogeno

gradually lowered fasting blood glucose levels with

reatment urat on. T e g est e ect was oun a -

er 8 wee s supp ementat on w t Pycnogeno . T e

tudy showed a considerable placebo effect which is

n erstoo to resu t rom pat ents etter comp ance

o t e r convent ona me cat on. Desp te t e p ace o

ffect the glucose-lowering effect of Pycnogenol

was stat st ca y s gn cant as compare to p ace over t e ent re treatment per o L u et a ., L e Sc -

nces, 2004].

Pycnogenol inhibits carbohydrate

absorption

ycnogenol

significantly delays uptake of complexugars suc as starc ecause t was emonstrate to

potent y n t t e gest ve enzyme g ucos ase

n the duodenum [Schfer et al., 2006]. This enzyme

s requ re or ecompos ng comp ex sugars or -

rat on o s ng e g ucose ent t es. Even sucrose, t e

tandard table sugar, requires cleavage by-glucosi-

ase to g ucose an ructose pr or to a sorpt on.

Compared to other glucosidase inhibitors, with

ycnogeno act v ty set to 100%, green tea extract,pure catec n an t e ora ant a et c me cat on

car ose Precose, G uco ay are ramat ca y ess

potent. Green tea extract was shown to likewise in-

t g ucos ase, yet Pycnogeno n rect com-

par son prove to e our t mes more potent Sc er

t al., 2006].

In t on o g ucos ase was s own to corre ate

w t t e s ze o procyan n mo ecu es present nPycnogenol. These molecules were recently shown

n p armaco net c stu es to ast very ong n t e -

gest ve tract e ore e ng a sor e nto t e oo

stream, typically only 4-6 hours post consumption

Gr mm et a ., 2006 . T us, t ese arge procyan n

mo ecu es rema n ava a e or n t on o g u-

osidase for a long period of time in the intestines.

Pycnogeno ta en n t e morn ng reta ns su c ent

potency or e ay ng sugar a sorpt on ur ng unc

t me.

Macrovascular Complications and

Diabetic SyndromeIn type II a etes ma or car o-vascuar r s actors

preva w c are nvo ve n t e eve opment o

diabetes and referred to as metabolic syndrome.

O es ty, ypertens on, yper-c o estero aem a, a pro-

t rom ot c state an nsu n res stance are respons -

ble for the high mortality from cardiovascular disease

n a etes.

Diabetes

Pycnogenol Placebo

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 weeks

0.0

-0.5

-1.0

-1.5

-2.0

mmol/l

0

-5

-10

-15

-20

-25

-30

-35

mg/dL

-2.8%

-7.6%

-12.4%

-14.9%-16.2%-16.1% -16.1%

-7.3%

-9.6%-10.3%

-9.2% -9.3%

Pycnogenoltaken with medicationfurther lowers glucose Pycnogenol Green tea extract Catechin Acarbose

100%

27%

10%

0.5%

Relative glucosidase inhibition



urt er to ower ng oo g ucose, Pycnogeno was

hown to significantly lower systolic blood pressure,

mprove oo p pro e an norma ze p ate et

ct v t y n severa ou e- n , p ace o-contro e ,

linical trials [Watson, 2003].

e nvest gat on o vascu ar me ators n oo

f above mentioned diabetic patients receiving

ycnogeno n a t on to stan ar ant - a et c

e cat on po nts to a genera c rcu atory mprove-

ent. Pycnogenol supplemented patients showed

ower amounts o vascu ar me ator en ot e n-1,w c tr ggers oo vesse constr ct on, an at t e

ame time elevated amounts of the vaso-dilator pros-

acyc n L u et a ., 2004 .

ycnogenol thus offers a multi-factorial approach

or mprov ng t e a et c syn rome an ower car-

o-vascu ar r s actors n a etes. For urt er n or-

ation please refer to PYCNOGENOLFOR CARDIO-

VASCULAR HEALTH.

Microvascular Complications (Microangi-

opathy)Sma oo cap ar es are respons e or supp y ng

issue with all nutrients and oxygen, as well as for

waste remova . In a etes t e c ron c exposure to

evate g ucose eve s causes asa mem ranes o

apillary walls to swell and this affects the blood

ow. Furt ermore, cap ary wa s are gra ua y get-

ng r tt e a ow ng qu an at ater stages a so

blood to seep into the tissue. Diabetic micro-angiopa-y a ects essent a y every o y w t ong-stan ng

a etes an s respons e or many comp cat ons n

diabetes. Microvascular complications are often pres-

nt at agnos s o a etes.

double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial with

60 pat ents a etes n average s nce 7.5 years, on

et, ora ant - a et c an nsu n treatment as em-

nstrated that Pycnogenolis effective for improving

cro-ang opat y Cesarone et a ., 2006 . Fo ow-ng our wee s treatment w t Pycnogeno cap ary

ea age was s gn cant y owere , an cap ary oo

perfusion characteristics were significantly improved.

No mprovements too p ace n t e p ace o group.

P ys o og c parameters suc as oo g ucose, H Ac

total cholesterol, HDL and blood pressure were im-

prove on y n t e Pycnogeno group.

Diabetic UlcersImpa re oo ow an e ema as a resu t o a et c

m croang opat y may cause sc aem c an necrot c

tissue. The first visible signs are skin discoloration

n severe e ema an t e nsu c ent oo supp yw gra ua y ea to eve opment o u cers. T ese

wounds are very difficult to heal because the tissue

ont nuous to e nsu c ent y supp e w t oo .

As Pycnogenol is helpful for restoring capillary

ea t n a et c m cro-ang opat y, Pycnogeno

was oun to e e ect ve or ea ng a et c u cers

[Belcaro et al., 2006]. Thirty diabetic patients with

u cers rece ve stan ar treatment nvo v ng a y

woun c ean ng, s n ect on an an ag ng. S x pa-tients received oral treatment with Pycnogenol, an-

t er e g t a Pycnogeno pow er app e rect y

nto t e woun , an urt er e g t pat ents rece ve

both local and oral treatment of Pycnogenol. The re-

ma n ng e g t pat ents represente t e contro group

n rece ve on y stan ar treatment.

Fo ow ng s x wee s treatment on y 61% o pat ents

n t e contro group a u cers comp ete y ea e .

In the Pycnogenol groups, patients healed 84% ul-ers ora on y , 85% top ca on y , an 89% ora

n top ca , respect ve y. Laser Dopp er eva uat on

f blood flow characteristics pointed to significant

mprovement o m cro-ang opat y. Sensors app e

roun onto ntact s n surroun ng u cers revea e

significantly increased oxygen presence in the skin,

w ereas car on ox e was s gn cant y ecrease .

T e n ngs suggest t at Pycnogeno mproves

apillary function and restores blood flow to tissues

w c a ows a et c u cers to ea .

Diabetes



Cramps and Muscular Pain in diabetic

microangiopathySome n v ua s w t a et c m croang opat y su -

er rom requent ep so es o musc e pa n an cramps

n their legs even after walking only short distances.

e mpa re oo supp y causes rap musc e a-

gue an cramp ng pa n.

n a p ot tr a w t 22 pat ents w t requent eg

ramps an pa n w t agnose a et c m croan-

giopathy treatment with Pycnogenol dramatically

mprove symptoms w c were s gn cant as com-pare to p ace o treatment V nc guerra et a ., 2006 .

he average number of leg cramping episodes in a

wee ecrease rom 8.9 to 3 a ter treatment w t

ycnogeno or wee s, w ereas num ers n t e

placebo group decreased from average 9 to 7.8. The

ssessment o eg musc e pa n y a v sua ana ogue

ca e revea e a s gn cant ecrease y 79.2% n t e

ycnogenol group, whereas pain reduction in the

p ace o group was on y 15.4%.

Diabetic Retinopathy

In diabetic retinopathy the microangiopathy causes

ap ar es to nsu c ent y nour s t e g t sensng

ones an ro s o t e ret na. Furt ermore, cap ar-

ies spill blood into the retina which causes irreversible

amage an gra ua v s on oss. Le t untreate ret -

nopat y w progress to a more severe orm nown

s proliferative retinopathy characterized by growth

new cap ar es to compensate or t e ac o oxy-

gen.

Pycnogeno was emonstrate n more t an 1200a et c pat ents to e e p u or treatment an

prevention of diabetic retinopathy. A double-blind,

p ace o-contro e stu y wt ret nopat y pat ents

s owe t at Pycnogeno ta en or two mont s can

significantly lower the bleeding from retinal capillar-

es an restore v sua acu ty to some extent Spa ea

t a ., 2001 . A mu t -center e stu y w t 1169 a-

betic patients showed that Pycnogenol taken over a

per o o s x mont s can stop t e progress on o ret -

nopat y an save t e rema n ng eye s g t Sc n aut al., 2002]. For more information please refer to

PYCNOGENOL FOR EYE HEALTH.

Diabetes



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e caro G et a .Dia etic u cers: Microcircuatory improvement an aster eaing wit Pycnogeno . C inica an App ie T rom-osis/Hemostasis 12: 318-323, 2006.

Cesarone MR et a .Improvement of diabetic microangiopathy with Pycnogenol A prospective, contro e stu y. Angio ogy 57:

31-436, 2006.

Grimm T, Skrabala R, Chovanova Z, Muchova J, Sumegova K, Liptakova A, Durackova Z, Hogger P. Single and multiple dose

p armaco inetics o maritime pine ar extract Pycnogeno a ter ora a ministration to ea t y vo unteers. BMC C in P ar-

maco 6: 1-12, 2006.

iu X et a .Frenc maritime pine ar extract Pycnogeno ose- epen ent y owers g ucose in type II ia etes patients. Dia e-

es Care 27: 839, 2004.

iu X et al.Antidiabetic Effect of PycnogenolFrench Maritime Pine Bark Extract in patients with diabetes type II. Life Sciences,

75: 2505-2513, 2004.

chfer A. and Hgger P.Oligomeric procyanidins of French maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol effectively inhibit alpha-

glucosidase. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice (2006) in press.

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pa ea L et a .Treatment o vascu ar retinopat ies wit Pycnogeno . P ytot er Res 15: 219-223, 2001.

inciguerra G et al.Cramps and muscular pain: prevention with Pycnogenol in normal subjects, venous patients, athletes,

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atson RR.Pycnogenoland cardiovascular health. Review. Evidence Based Integr Med 1: 27-32, 2003.

Diabetes

Pycnogenolprovides significant health protection in diabetes as demonstrated in controlled clinical trials: Glucose lowering (also in addition to anti-diabetic treatment)

Car ovascuar eat r s re uct on

Improvement o m crovascuar ea t pro ems: D a et c m croang opat y, oot u cer ea ng, musce cramps

Prevent on an mprovement o a et c ret nopat y

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Pycnogenol for Diabetes Care