title: Effect of Pycnogenol on the Healing of Venous Ulcers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Venous ulcers are common complications of chronic venous insufficiency that result in severe physical and mental suffering to patients. The oral administration of diosmin/hesperidin has been used as adjuvant therapy in the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the effect of pycnogenol and diosmin/hesperidin on the healing of venous ulcers.
  
  
  METHODS
  This longitudinal, prospective, randomized clinical trial was conducted with 30 adult patients with venous ulcers from a vascular surgery outpatient clinic of a university hospital. The patients were randomly allocated to 2 groups: Group 1 (n = 15) was treated with pycnogenol (50 mg orally, 3 times daily) and Group 2 (n = 15) was treated with diosmin/hesperidin (450/50 mg orally, twice daily). They were assessed every 15 days for 90 days. During follow-up visits, photo-documentation was obtained and the ulcer area and circumference of the affected limb were measured. Friedman's test and Mann-Whitney test were used to compare ulcer areas and circumference of affected limbs between and within groups at different time points. The level of significance was set at 5% (P < 0.05) for all tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both the pycnogenol and diosmin/hesperidin treatments had a similar effect on the healing of venous ulcers and led to a significant decrease in the circumference of affected limbs (P < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that pycnogenol has an adjuvant effect on the healing of venous ulcers, similar to diosmin/hesperidin.
authors: Professional Master's Program in Applied Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Universidade do Vale do Sapucaí, Pouso Alegre, Brazil. Electronic address: renatortoledo@hotmail.com.
authors: Renato Riera
authors: RR
authors: Toledo
authors: Department of Vascular Surgery, Faculdade de Ciencias Médicas de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors: Maria Elisabeth Rennó de Castro
authors: MERC
authors: Santos
authors: Professional Master's Program in Applied Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Universidade do Vale do Sapucaí, Pouso Alegre, Brazil.
authors: Taylor Brandão
authors: TB
authors: Schnaider
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D004145:Diosmin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006569:Hesperidin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014647:Varicose Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D005419:Flavonoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; C024070:pycnogenols; D004145:Diosmin; D006569:Hesperidin