title: Improvement of diabetic microangiopathy with pycnogenol: A prospective, controlled study.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy of oral Pycnogenol (Horphag Research Ltd, United Kingdom) in patients with diabetic microangiopathy. Patients without a history of diabetic ulcerations were treated with Pycnogenol. Patients received oral Pycnogenol (50 mg capsules, 3 times daily for a total of 150 mg daily for 4 weeks). A group of 30 patients was included (severe microangiopathy); 30 comparable patients were observed as controls (no treatment during the observation period). All patients (age, 59 years; range, 55-68 years; male:female = 18:12) included in the treatment group completed the 4-week study. Also, all controls completed the follow-up period. There were no drop-outs. All included subjects had signs and symptoms of diabetic microangiopathy. The duration of diabetes-from the first signs/symptoms--was on average 7.5 years (SD = 3). After 4 weeks, microcirculatory and clinical evaluations showed a progressive decrease in skin flux at rest in the foot (indicating an improvement in the level of microangiopathy), a significant decrease in capillary filtration, and a significant improvement in the venoarteriolar response in all treated subjects. There were no visible effects in controls except a slight reduction in skin flux at rest in the foot. Treatment was well tolerated in both groups. In conclusion, this study confirms the clinical efficacy of Pycnogenol in patients with diabetic microangiopathy. The study indicates the clinical role of Pycnogenol in the management, treatment, and control of this common clinical problem. The treatment may be also useful to prevent diabetic ulcerations by controlling the level of microangiopathy.
authors.affiliation: Irvine2 Vascular Lab and Physiology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, G D'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara University, San Valentino Vascular Screening Project, Faculty of Motory Sciences, L'Aquila University, Italy.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Cesarone
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Belcaro
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rohdewald
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pellegrini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ledda
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vinciguerra
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gizzi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ippolito
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fano
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dugall
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cipollone
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Acerbi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cacchio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Del Boccio
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: Corsi
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004487:Edema / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply*
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; C024070:pycnogenols