title: Diabetic ulcers: microcirculatory improvement and faster healing with pycnogenol.
abstract: Diabetic microangiopathy leads to lower limb ulcers that are very slow to heal. Pycnogenol was evaluated on diabetic ulcers in a controlled trial. Ulcer medications were used in 4 groups (30 patients): (1) systemic Pycnogenol and local application; (2) local Pycnogenol only; (3) oral Pycnogenol; and (4) medications only (control group). Ulcerated areas and symptom scores were more reduced with the combined oral and local treatment (P < .05). Oral and local treatment were less effective, but still improved compared with the controls. Combined treatment produced 89% complete healing at 6 weeks versus 84% with local treatment and 85% with oral treatment; healing in controls was 61%. The combined treatment group and oral only group had better microcirculation after the combined treatment. Combined local and systemic application of Pycnogenol may offer a new treatment of diabetic ulcers. Local treatment also speeds ulcer healing.
authors.affiliation: Irvine2 Vasc Lab, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chieti-pescara University and San Valentino Vascular Screening Project, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Belcaro
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Cesarone
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Errichi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ledda
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Renzo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stuard
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dugall
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pellegrini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gizzi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rohdewald
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ippolito
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cacchio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cipollone
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ruffini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fano
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hosoi
mesh_terms: D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000150:complications; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000188:drug therapy; D004333:Drug Administration Routes; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D008875:Middle Aged; D010936:Plant Extracts; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014456:Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; C024070:pycnogenols