Reduction of cardiovascular risk factors in subjects with type 2 diabetes by Pycnogenol supplementation. Normalization of cardiovascular risk factors in peri-menopausal women with Pycnogenol®. The effect of calcium supplementation on blood pressure in non-pregnant women with previous pre-eclampsia: An exploratory, randomized placebo controlled study. Gestational calcium supplementation and blood pressure in the offspring. PYCNOGENOL in chronic venous insufficiency. Kidney Flow and Function in Hypertension: Protective Effects of Pycnogenol in Hypertensive Participants—A Controlled Study
Patients with type 2 diabetes are at considerable risk of excessive morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) . We investigated the clinical effectiveness of Pycnogenol , a flavonoid-rich dietary supplement , in reducing antihypertensive medication use and CVD risk factors in subjects with type 2 diabetes . Forty-eight individuals were enrolled in a r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled trial with parallel-group design . Patients were diagnosed with both type 2 diabetes and mild to moderate hypertension and were undergoing treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme ( ACE ) inhibitors .  Subjects were r and omly assigned to receive either Pycnogenol pill ( 125 mg daily ) or matched placebo for 12 weeks . According to the values of blood pressure ( BP ) measured at 2-week intervals , the pretrial ACE inhibitor dosage was left unchanged , reduced by 50 % , or brought back to the pretrial dosage until a stable BP was obtained . Fasting plasma glucose , low-density lipoprotein ( LDL ) cholesterol , glycosylated hemoglobin ( HbA1c ) , serum endothelin-1 , and urinary albumin were evaluated monthly . Pycnogenol treatment achieved BP control in 58.3 % of subjects at the end of the 12 weeks with 50 % reduction in individual pretrial dose of ACE-inhibitors ( P < .05 ) . Plasma endothelin-1 decreased by 3.9 pg/mL in Pycnogenol-treated group vs 0.5 pg/mL increase in control group ( P < .001 ) . Mean HbA1c dropped by 0.8 % in Pycnogenol-treated group ( P < .05 ) , whereas it decreased by 0.1 % in control group . Fasting plasma glucose declined by 23.7 mg/dL in Pycnogenol-treated group vs 5.7 mg/dL in control group ( P < .0001 ) . Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol improved significantly in Pycnogenol-treated group , declining by 12.7 mg/dL ( P < .001 ) . A significant decrease in urinary albumin level was observed at week 8 compared with the control group ( P < .05 ) . However , this reduction was not significant at 12th week . After 12 weeks of supplementation , Pycnogenol result ed in improved diabetes control , lowered CVD risk factors , and reduced antihypertensive medicine use vs controls BACKGROUND The aim of the study was the evaluation of the efficacy of Pycnogenol ® in peri-menopausal women in controlling homocysteine and C-reactive protein ( CRP ) levels , borderline cardiovascular risk factors , oxidative stress ( OS ) and symptoms associated to menopausal transition ( MT ) . METHODS Pycnogenol ® , 100mg/day , was used as a supplement for 8 weeks by a group of 35 women . A comparable group of 35 women with identical cardiovascular risk factors was included as the control group . All women were instructed to participate in a best management plan of menopause . RESULTS The two groups were comparable . All women completed the eight weeks study . Only minor deviations from the best management plan were observed . At inclusion , both groups were similar in respect to risk factors . Supplementation with Pycnogenol ® decreased the slightly elevated cholesterol and triglycerides after 8 weeks ( P<0.05 ) . Also the fasting glucose levels were normalized ( P<0.05 ) . The borderline increased blood pressure was reduced to normal values at 8 weeks ( P<0.05 ) . Plasma free radicals dropped significantly by 22 % ( P<0.05 ) . Homocysteine and CRP levels decreased sharply by 43 % and 60 % , respectively ( P<0.05 ) . No significant changes of these risk factors were noted in the control group . Almost all menopausal symptoms , scored by The Menopausal Symptoms Question naire 34 , improved significantly following supplementation with Pycnogenol ® . The supplementation was well tolerated . CONCLUSIONS The supplementation with Pycnogenol ® improved the quality of life of perimenopausal women and normalized a series of cardiovascular risk factors , especially factors connected to cardiovascular events , as homocysteine and CRP BACKGROUND Epidemiological findings suggest that the link between poverty and pre-eclampsia might be dietary calcium deficiency . Calcium supplementation has been associated with a modest reduction in pre-eclampsia , and also in blood pressure ( BP ) . METHODS This exploratory sub- study of the WHO Calcium and Pre-eclampsia ( CAP ) trial aims to determine the effect of 500mg/day elemental calcium on the blood pressure of non-pregnant women with previous pre-eclampsia . Non-pregnant women with at least one subsequent follow-up trial visit at approximately 12 or 24weeks after r and omization were included . RESULTS Of 836 women r and omized by 9 September 2014 , 1st visit data were available in 367 women of whom 217 had previously had severe pre-eclampsia , 2nd visit data were available in 201 women . There was an overall trend to reduced BP in the calcium supplementation group ( 1 - 2.5mmHg ) although differences were small and not statistically significant . In the subgroup with previous severe pre-eclampsia , the mean diastolic BP change in the calcium group ( -2.6mmHg ) was statistically larger than in the placebo group ( + 0.8mmHg ) , ( mean difference -3.4 , 95 % CI -0.4 to -6.4 ; p=0.025 ) . The effect of calcium  on diastolic BP at 12weeks was greater than in those with non-severe pre-eclampsia ( p=0.020 , ANOVA analysis ) . CONCLUSIONS There is an overall trend to reduced BP but only statistically significant in the diastolic BP of women with previous severe pre-eclampsia . This is consistent with our hypothesis that this group is more sensitive to calcium supplementation , however results need to be interpreted with caution BACKGROUND The current study examined the relationship between calcium supplementation  during pregnancy and blood pressure ( BP ) in the mother and offspring at 3 months and at 2 years postpartum . METHODS Nulliparous pregnant women were assigned to either receive 2 g of calcium or placebo daily beginning between weeks 13 to 21 of gestation and continuing until delivery . Blood pressure was measured in children and their mothers at 3 months ( n = 260 ) and ( n = 57 ) at 2 years postpartum . Systolic BP was measured in the infants using a sphygmomanometer with ultrasonic amplification . For the toddlers , three supine BP measurements were taken from the right arm using a Critikon automated sphygmomanometer just after measurement of left ventricular wall thickness . RESULTS Systolic BP in the calcium-supplemented infants was 2.2 mm Hg lower than in the placebo group ( P > .05 ) . At 2 years of age , systolic BP was 4.8 mm Hg lower in the calcium supplemented group ( P < .05 ) , whereas diastolic BP was 3 mm Hg lower ( P > .05 ) . There was no difference in left ventricular mass index between groups , although there was a significant correlation between systolic BP and wall thickness ( P < .05 ) . Maternal BP was positively correlated with circulating 1,25(OH)(2)D3 ( P < .001 ) but did not differ between calcium groups at 3 months postpartum . CONCLUSIONS The data on BP in the children are in agreement with previous studies and argue strongly for additional research into the effects of prenatal calcium supplementation on BP regulation in the offspring The aim of out study was to investigate the efficacy of Pycnogenol - a French maritime pine bark extract - in the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency ( CVI ) . The study consisted of a double-blind phase - in which 20 patients were recruited and r and omly treated with placebo or Pycnogenol ( 100 mg 2 3/day for 2 months ) - and an open phase - in which other 20 patients were treated with Pycnogenol at the same dose schedule . In total , 40 patients were enrolled ; 30 of them were treated with Pycnogenol and 10 with placebo . Pycnogenol significantly improved the legs ' heaviness and subcutaneous edema ; the venous pressure was also significantly reduced by the Pycnogenol treatment , thus adding further clinical evidence to its therapeutic efficacy in patients with CVI .  Pycnogenol was effective , probably by either stabilizing the collagenous subendothelial basal membrane or scavenging the free radicals , or by a combination of these activities . Clinical ly , capillary leakage , perivascular inflammation and subcutaneous edema were all reduced . The safety of use of Pycnogenol is demonstrated by the lack of side effects or changes in blood biochemistry and hematologic parameters .  Pycnogenol can be therefore recommended both for prevention and treatment of CVI and related veno-capillary disturbances This study evaluated the effects of Pycnogenol as an adjunct to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitor ramipril treatment of hypertensive patients presenting with early signs of renal function problems . One group of 26 patients was medicated with 10 mg ramipril per day only ; a second group of 29 patients  took Pycnogenol in addition to the ACE inhibitor over a period of 6 months . At trial end , a lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure was found in both groups , with a significant further reduction of diastolic pressure in the group given Pycnogenol in addition to ramipril . The major aim of this study was the investigation of kidney-protective effects of Pycnogenol . Urinary albumin decreased from 87 ± 23 to 64 ± 16 mg/d with ramipril only . Additional Pycnogenol  lowered albumin significantly better from 91 ± 25 to 39 ± 13 mg/day ( P < .05 ) . In both groups , serum creatinine was lowered ; however , only in the combination treatment group did the effect reached statistical significance . In both groups , CRP levels decreased from 2.1 to 1.8 with ramipril and from 2.2 to 1.1 with the ramipril — Pycnogenol combination ; the latter reached statistical significance . Kidney cortical flow velocity was investigated by Doppler color duplex ultrasonography . Both systolic and diastolic flow velocities increased significantly after 6 months medication with ramipril . The addition of Pycnogenol to the regimen statistically significantly further enhanced kidney cortical flow velocities , by 8 % for diastolic flow and 12 % for systolic flow , relative to values found for the group taking ramipril only . The protective effects of Pycnogenol for initial kidney damage found in this study warrant further research with a larger number of patients and over a longer period of time
Therefore , the present meta- analysis does not suggest any significant effect of pycnogenol  on BP
Results of previous clinical trials evaluating the effect of pycnogenol supplementation on  blood pressure ( BP )  are controversial .