Pycnogenol, French maritime pine bark extract, significantly reduced swelling (edema), pain, and leg heaviness in patients with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), a condition in which veins do not return blood from the legs to the heart well and is associated with leg swelling, leg pain, and itching. For 2 months, participants (n=40) received Pycnogenol 100 mg x 3/day or placebo. Findings show that in about 60% of patients administered Pycnogenol swelling disappeared, pain was reduced, and 33% had reduced leg heaviness. No changes were seen in the placebo group. (8)
A natural extract for venous thrombosis and thrombophebitis on flights: Pycnogenol, French maritime pine bark extract, may help reduce the risk of blood clots (deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and superficial vein thrombosis (SVT)) on long airplane flights. The study subjects (n=198) received either 200 mg Pycnogenol 2-3 hours before flying, 200 mg six hours later and 100 mg the day after flying or placebo . Air travel lasted an average of eight hours and 15 minutes. Compared to a placebo, researchers concluded Pycnogenol supplementation was effective in protecting against DVT and SVT in moderate to high-risk subjects with no thrombotic events reported (vs 5.15% of placebo patients with a reported event). (10)
A tree bark extract vs. a tree nut extract used for chronic venous insufficiency (CVI):
A 4-week study followed 40 people with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), compared the benefits of Venostasin (horse chestnut seed extract) at 600 mg oral daily against Pycnogenol (pine bark extract) at 360 mg oral daily. The results showed improvements in both treated groups, but Pycnogenol was significantly more effective than Venostasin. Pycnogenol significantly reduced lower limb circumference, CVI symptoms (pain, cramps, night-time swelling, feeling of ‘heaviness’, and reddening of the skin), total cholesterol and LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol without affecting HDL ‘good’ cholesterol. Venostasin did not significantly improve symptoms nor did it effect lipid values. However, both were well tolerated. (9)
Natural treatment for superficial vein thrombosis and venous hypertensive microangiopathy :
Natural extract used for superficial vein thrombosis: Authors investigated the effect of Essaven gel (EG) with the active ingredient, aescin,( or escin) a horse chesnut extract in comparison with placebo in 30 patients with superficial vein thrombosis (SVT, a blood clot in a vein, which forms in a superficial vein near the surface of the body) in this 8-week study. Reductions in the signs and symptoms of SVT were significantly greater in participants receiving EG, compared to placebo. EG improved signs/symptoms of SVT much faster than placebo and no serious side-effects were reported. (11)