What Does Pycnogenol® Do? *
Being water-soluble, Pycnogenol® works primarily in the watery portions inside the cell and between cells, not in the fats of the cell membranes. “Pyc” is especially good at neutralizing the hydroxyl radical, the super- oxide radical, singlet oxygen, and the dangerous chemical peroxynitrate. The Dangerous Chemical Peroxynitrate Peroxynitrate is a very reactive free radical that is formed by an overproduction of nitric oxide. Let’s back up. Nitric oxide is usually a good thing in your body, helping with the regulation of some hormones, the movements of muscles in the digestive tract, and certain immune responses. It also helps the circulatory system by relaxing and opening blood vessels, stopping platelets from clumping together, and keeping LDL cholesterol from becoming oxidized. But sometimes the body goes overboard and produces too much nitric oxide. When this happens, the excess nitric oxide [NO] meets up with superoxide radicals [O2-] and becomes peroxynitrate [ONOO]. Remember Mr. Bill from the old SNL show, saying, “Oh, NO-O-O!”? That’s what we would say if we knew ONOO was forming. What makes peroxynitrate so dangerous is that it reacts with anything: fats, proteins, DNA, membrane, et cetera. It doesn’t really matter what--peroxynitrate reacts! Excessive nitric oxide production is associated with arthritis, diabetes, stroke, septic shock, chronic inflammation, and atherosclerosis. The damage it does can easily lead to gene mutations, which replicate themselves as the beginning of cancer. It can eat you up six ways from Sunday! Good News! Pycnogenol® Neutralizes Peroxynitrate The good news is that Pycnogenol® is great at neutralizing peroxynitrate. It also reduces the amount of superoxide available that makes the peroxynitrate and it helps to regulate the nitric oxide production so that it stays in balance. That means that your immune system works better, your joints hurt less, and your blood flows better, all because of
Pycnogenol®. Why didn’t we mention this awful free radical before? Other antioxidants may help, but presently researchers have only noticed OPC’s in Pycnogenol® working on this problem. How Does Pycnogenol® Affect The Immune System? Pycnogenol® affects the immune system in several ways. First, it keeps hydrogen peroxide from combining with chloride [formed in some white blood cells] to form hypochloric acid. When this acid forms, it is noxious---that is, it makes you feel nauseated---and it keeps your white blood cells from doing their job of fighting off disease. A 1996 study has also shown that Pycnogenol® boosts the immune system. In this study, the immune systems of mice were blocked by infecting them with a retrovirus that causes mouse AIDS. They measured certain immune system functions then gave the Pycnogenol and measured them again. Researchers found out that immune stimulators were increased, immune suppressors decreased, and natural killer cells were stronger. In other words, even when the immune system was barely working, Pycnogenol® brought it back. Research in this direction may be very significant for those interested in the AIDS virus. Pycnogenol® and Blood Pressure Blood pressure can be lowered in some patients by Pycnogenol®. There are enzymes in the blood that cause chemical reactions that make blood vessels constrict. That raises blood pressure. But Pycnogenol® inhibits those enzymes, thus lowering blood pressure. It does not lower blood pressure a lot, but some. It also appears that Pycnogenol® relaxes the blood vessels by counteracting the effects of adrenaline, the excitement hormone that is also found in stress cases. That is particularly important in the capillaries where Pycogenol® has been shown to strengthen the vessel walls and open them for greater blood flow. Like the sprinklers in an irrigation system delivering the water, it is the capillaries that actually deliver blood and nutrients to the body cells. That means that every tissue in the body benefits.
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Pycnogenol® and Platelet Aggregation (Heart Attack, Stroke) Platelet aggregation is a serious problem in cardiovascular disease. Platelet aggregation simply means that blood cells are abnormally clotting in the bloodstream. If platelets accumulate and clot in the coronary arteries near the heart muscle, blocking blood flow to the heart muscle itself, the result is myocardial infarction [that most common type heart attack]. If the same situation occurs in the brain’s arteries, the result is stroke. Pycnogenol® keeps platelets from clumping together, reducing the risk of both heart attack and stroke. A number of other factors cause platelet aggregation, including smoking and adrenaline surges from stress. Pycogenol® zaps the free radicals associated with smoking and blocks adrenaline to stop both of these factors from producing more clotting. Pine Bark Extract May Help the Immune System: Studies Confirm that Pycnogenol® is a Powerful, Protective Antioxidant Pycnogenol®, the pine bark extract is a powerful protective antioxidant. Dr. Lester Packer, a cell biological and teacher of a research team at the University of California who is studying Pycnogenol® declares that Pycnogenol® contains about forty bioactive substances, many of which are antioxidants that neutralize free radicals. Free radicals, of course, tend to damage white blood cells reducing their ability in infection fighting, and their reduced numbers lead to inflammation and setting the stage for degenerative disease. According to Dr. Packer, “Experimentally, Pycnogenol® turns off
the production of nitric oxide, one of the major free radicals produced by white blood cells.” He further states, “because nitric oxide is also involved in inflammatory diseases arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease, Pycnogenol® should theoretically have some preventative role in these conditions as well.”
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According to Dr. Fabio Vigili, a member of Dr. Packer’s research team, “Pycnogenol® blocks enzymes involved in producing nitric oxide and directly neutralizes the excess free radicals.” In previous studies, Dr. Packer’s research team discovered that Pycnogenol® neutralized other types of dangerous free radicals as well, including superoxide and the dangerous hydroxyl radicals. Other studies have confirmed the immune-enhancing and antioxidant properties of Pycnogenol®. • In a study published in the journal Life Sciences, University of Arizona researchers report that Pycnogenol® increases the activity of the natural killer cells, a type of immune cell that scavengers viruses and even Cancer cells. • Hungarian and German researchers have discovered that Pycnogenol® reduces swelling and inflammation (this is from an article in Pharmazien). • A study recently published in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology International, a team of University of California researchers found Pycnogenol® to be a powerful antioxidant against superoxide and the hydroxyl radicals. • According to Dr. Packer, many researchers would want to break down Pycnogenol® into its individual and active components. Dr. Packer stated, “but I think, in this case, Pycnogenol®’s collective synergistic effects may be much more potent”. The above research which was gleaned from VIRIS Research information service was presented at the fourth annual meeting of the Oxygen Society held November 20-26, 1997, in San Francisco. This is an international organization whose members are scientists who study free radicals and antioxidants. Pycnogenol® and Atherosclerosis There is also evidence that atherosclerosis has trouble developing in the presence of Pycnogenol®. It prevents the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, which forms plaque when oxidized. Pycnogenol® also maintains the health of the endothelium, the arterial lining. A 1994 study showed that blood vessels subjected to a strong oxidant [free radical] were not damaged nearly as much if they were pretreated with Pycnogenol®.
Cell viability was better, there was less evidence of lipid peroxidation, and fewer signs of tissue damage in the arteries. The reason was simply that the endothelium was protected from oxidative damage by the OPC’s in Pycnogenol®. If the endothelium is not damaged, there is no place for oxidized LDL to plant itself and the vessel remains healthy and flexible. Pycnogenol® does double duty against atherosclerosis. Pycnogenol® Shown to Protect Arterial Endothelial Cells from Free Radical (Oxidant) Damage: Reactive oxygen species [free radicals/oxidants] such as superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, have been implicated in a number of degenerative diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and atherosclerosis. A number of antioxidant enzymes, including glutathione, catalase, and superoxide dismutase, play an important role in controlling these free radicals and preventing cellular damage. Pycnogenol®, a blend of procyanidins extracted from the maritime pine bark, has been shown to protect the arterial endothelial cells from free radical mediated damage. Pycnogenol® “significantly decreased cellular accumulation of hydrogen peroxide following exposure to oxidative stress.” The reduction of oxidative stress was dependent upon the Pycnogenol® concentration. Additionally, Pycnogenol® caused significant concentration-dependent decrease in the levels of the superoxide and ions as well. Further, the levels of glutathione, superoxide and catalase were also increased in cells that were pretreated with Pycnogenol®. “These results suggest that Pycnogenol® promoted a protective antioxidative state by up-regulating important enzymatic and nonenzymatic oxidant-scavenging systems.” Pycnogenol® and Swollen Capillaries, Pain in the Lower Legs Regarding capillary health, one of the common problems associated with capillaries is swelling [edema] and pain in the lower legs, especially in women. This is not life threatening, but it is a real concern that robs people of productivity and enjoyment of life. It turns out that Pycnogenol®’s effectiveness in strengthening capillary walls prevents
leakage of water into the legs, preventing swelling and easing the symptoms of heaviness and pain. Pycnogenol® and Alzheimer’s Disease Preliminary studies show some promise in Pycnogenol®’s ability to fight Alzhiemer’s disease. Dr. Schubert at the Salk Institute in San Diego has shown that Pycnogenol® can prevent an important contributing factor in Alzhiemer’s. The protein beta-amyloid normally occurs in the brain. However, in Alzheimer’s patients, beta-amyloid accumulates and forms hard, scaly spots in the brain. Pycnogenol® prevents these accumulations even when beta-amyloid is pumped into brain cells in a Petri dish. There are also reports from patients having Newman-Pick’s disease, which is closely related to Alzheimer’s, that taking Pycnogenol® has helped them. However, these are not enough cases and the studies have not been formulated to say that Pycnogenol® reduces symptoms of these diseases. Pycnogenol® and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Chronic fatigue syndrome [CFS] has been a mystery disease for a long time and has been growing in its occurrence in modern times. It is now almost certain that the most basic cause of CFS is free radical damage. The damage is evident in red blood cells. Dr. Anthony Martin presented a paper at the 4th International Symposium on Pycnogenol® in May of 1997 that spoke of five ways this antioxidant can help CFS sufferers. It protects the cell walls and it strengthens capillaries, as we have discussed. Both of these actions maintain integrity of the cells and organs and keep them nourished. More important, the mitochondria, the energy centers of the cell, are protected. If all the energy centers of the cells are healthy, the energy of the whole organism is enhanced. Pycnogenol® also has anti-inflammatory qualities that relieve some of the chronic symptoms of the syndrome. And finally, it reduces histamine secretion, relieving the allergy symptoms commonly found with these patients. Pycnogenol® and Protection of the Skin From Ultraviolet Radiation There are also benefits that Pycnogenol® has for the skin. It reverses the oxidative damage done by ultraviolet radiation from the sun. With the
ozone layer decreasing every year, more and more ultraviolet radiation comes through to the earth’s surface. This is thought to be the cause of declines in frog, toad, and salamander populations, whose fertilized eggs are exposed to the sun with no way to repair the UV [ultraviolet] damage done to their DNA. In humans, UV radiation can cause sensitivity to light, capillary congestion leading to extreme redness of the skin, immune function changes, and cancer. Vitamin E has not been shown to be effective in reversing this damage, but Pycnogenol® reduces the poisoning of the cell and lipid per-oxidation in direct proportion to the amount taken. It also encourages the production of collagen and elastin, two substances essential to building flexibility and strength in skin and cartilage tissues. Pycnogenol®’s Synergistic Effect What makes Pycnogenol® so great? Some scientists would like to break it all down and see exactly which elements make the biggest difference. But Dr. Lester Packer, a leading researcher in the field of cell biology at the University of California says, “I think, in this case, Pycnogenol®’s collective effect [synergistic effect] may be much more potent.” It is the way all of the different flavonoids in Pycnogenol® work together that makes it effective in so many different ways.
LifeSpan International uses only Authentic, Genuine, Patented Horphag Research Pycnogenol® in its MariPrime ™ Formulation with EDS®
* Excerpted from “The Super Antioxidants” by Dr. James Balch, MD ** - Contributed and Submitted by Danny R. Pavelich, B.A. Zoology ** James F. Balch, M.D., is a graduate of the School of Medicine at Indiana University. He completed
his surgical residency at Indiana University’s Medical Center, specializing in urology. After a twoyear tour of duty in the United States Navy, Dr. Balch began his own private practice as a urologist. He is presently a member of the American Medical Association, the American College of Surgeons, and board certified by the American Board of Urology. He has spent extensive time studying the world’s most powerful antioxidants and their effects on the body’s health. He is the coauthor of “Prescription for Nutritional Healing: An A to Z Guide to Drug-Free Remedies Using Food Supplements”, which has sold over 3.5 million copies to date. In his private practice as a urologist and in his well-respected newsletter, "Prescriptions for Healthy Living," Dr. Balch believes it is very important for his patients to assume a portion of responsibility for their own well-being. His other books include “Prescription for Dietary Wellness” and “The Super Antioxidants”. He explains how people can use alternative treatments to maintain a healthy lifestyle and how to prevent certain diseases like cancer, heart disease and high cholesterol.