Pycnogenol, and blood pressure:
Pycnogenol is maritime pine bark extract which contains the anti-oxidant compound procyanidolic oligomers used in research at doses between 100 – 300 mg daily. Caution in the use of pycnogenol due to its effect upon platelet aggregation. Pycnogenol may increase the risk of bleeding when taken with aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, other anti-platelet agents, and anti-coagulants such as heparin or warfarin (78).
Pycnogenol at a dose of 50 mg 3 times daily added to Ramipril at a dose of 5mg twice daily significantly lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure -6 mmHg and -4.9 mmHg more respectively after 6 months compared to a group taking Ramipril alone (79). With Ramipril alone, urinary protein decreased by 23% but with the addition of Pycnogenol it decreased by 52.7%, and lowered creatinine with statistical significance (80). The group taking Pycnogenol also had a significant weight loss from average BMI 26.5 to 25.0 kg/meters squared and lowered fasting blood glucose levels after 6 months (79).