8/12/2019 Pycnogenol for Menstrual Discomfort
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Menstrual Discomfort
L O O K , F E E L A N D L I V E B E T T E R
8/12/2019 Pycnogenol for Menstrual Discomfort
2/5I Horphag Research-Geneva, SwitzerlandI Horphag Research Asia-Shanghai, ChinaI Natural Health Science-Hoboken NJ, USAI www.pycnogenol.comI HORPHAGI
Pycnogenol inhibits prostaglandins and is
anti-inflammatorye stan ar reg men or ysmenorr oea are over
e counter non-ster o a ant n ammatory rugsNSAID) such as ibuprofen. These medications reduce
enstrua pa n e c ent y an qu te rap y. However,
ese pa n- ers ave s e e ects caus ng gastr c
problems and other more serious complications, par-
cu ar y w en t ey are ta en n g quant t es as t s
yp ca n ysmenorr oea. A c n ca stu y as s own
hat consumption of Pycnogenolnon-selectively in-
ts COXenzymes, w c are nvo ve n synt es s o
pro- n ammatory prostagan ns ur ng t e menstru-
l period. Already after a single dose of Pycnogenolot COX-1 an COX-2 enzymes are s gn cant y n-
te n umans y 22.5% an 14.7%, respect ve y
[Schfer et al., 2006].
urt ermore, Pycnogeno was s own to ower t e
nflammatory master switch (NF-kB) in humans af-
er ve ays o cont nuous consumpt on y 15.8%
Grmm et a ., 2006 . NF- B tr ggers t e generat on o
ssentially all pro-inflammatory mediators. This pro-
es t e as s or t e rat ona e to use Pycnogenoo natura y mo erate n ammatory processes an
pa n sensat on nvo ve n menstruat on. A t ona y,
Pycnogeno supports t e woun ea ng process
and stabilises capillaries which will help to speed-up
t e recovery o t e en ometr um.
Japanese gynaecologists discovered
Pycnogenol soothes menstrual painTwo Japanese gynaeco og sts teste Pycnogeno or
lowering menstrual pain in an open, uncontrolled
exp oratory tr a . T rty n ne women w t ysmen-orr oea or en ometr os s were treate w t 30 mg
ost women of child-bearing age experience a variety of symptoms related to the menstrual cycle that
ay e imite to mi er iscom ort suc as rom t e pre-menstrua syn rome or exten to serious men-
trual pain which seriously affects quality of life. The complete replacement of tissue lining the uterine
avity, the endometrium, during the menstrual period represents a wound healing process and involves
n ammatory processes.
he inflammation is initiated by prostaglandins developing during menstruation which causes uterine
ontractions an pain. Some women experience menstrua pain eve s w ic severe y inter ere wit ai y
unctions and affects quality of life. In medical terminology this is known as dysmenorrhoea.
e preva ence o ysmenorr oea is ig est in a o escent women, wit estimates ranging rom 20% to
90% epen ing on t e iagnosis stan ar s app ie Frenc , 2005 . For women ysmenorr oea is t e most
ommon reason for absence from work.
NF-kB-15.8%
Pycnogenolis
anti-inflammatory
Pycnogenol for Menstrual Discomfort
8/12/2019 Pycnogenol for Menstrual Discomfort
3/5I Horphag Research-Geneva, SwitzerlandI Horphag Research Asia-Shanghai, ChinaI Natural Health Science-Hoboken NJ, USAI www.pycnogenol.comI HORPHAGI
ycnogeno a y start ng seven ays e ore men-
truation. Both abdominal pain and cramping were
oun to e mprove n t e ma or ty o women
Ko ama & Suzu , 1999 . T ese n t a n ngs ave
prompted further research of benefits of Pycnogenol
or menstrua scom ort.
Pycnogenol relieves menstrual pain
c n ca tr a n Japan nvest gate 47 women w o
were agnose av ng symptoms o ysmenorr oea.
heir pain sensation and use of pain medication was
ecor e t roug out t e tr a , w c covere t reeomp ete menstrua cyc es. T e rst, pre-treatment
enstrual cycle served for establishing baseline pain
eve an ana gesc use. Drect y a ter comp et on o
e pre-treatment cyc e women too Pycnogeno
very day until completion of two further menstrual
yc es.
he results showed that women had significantly
ess a om na pa n w en t ey a starte ta ng
ycnogeno t ree wee s e ore t e r per o . T e pa nelief was even more pronounced during the following
per o , w t t e pa n score re uce y 36% compare
o pre-treatment. T e num er o ays ur ng w c
women experienced menstrual pain was likewise low-
re rom average pre-treatment 3.9 ays to 3.6 an
3.3 ays n t e rst an secon per o , respect ve y.
omen required less pain medication during their
enstrua per o w en t ey too Pycnogeno
Multi-centre field study with Pycnogenol
for menstrual painFour osp ta s n Japan nvest gate a tota num er o
116 women su er ng rom menstrua pa n n a mu t -
entre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
as on Suzu et a ., 2007 . T e rst two pre-treat-
ment menstrua cyc es were ut se or esta s ng
base-line values for pain sensation and analgesic
me cat on use. Dur ng t e o ow ng 2 menstrua
yc es women were ran om y ass gne to groups
receiving daily regimens of Pycnogenolor placebo.
T erea ter, reg men was scont nue to nvest gatet e recurrence o symptoms.
Treatment w t Pycnogeno owere pa n ur ng
menstruation, which was reflected by a significantre uct on o pa n me cat on use . T e num er o
pa n u ays ue to ysmenorr oea was ecrease
from average 2.1 days prior to treatment to 1.3, 1.3
n 1.2 ays urng t e consecut ve menstrua cyc es,
respect ve y. D scont nuat on oes not cause an m-
mediate relapse as pain levels and pain medication
use not ncrease. As n prev ous stu es on ys-
menorr oea t e pa n re e eve ops gra ua y ur ng
supplementation with Pycnogenol
Menstrual Discomfort
Pycnogenol Placebo Di scont inue
baseline(cycle 1+2)
cycle 3 cycle 4 cycle 5
NSAIDstablets
4
5
3
2
Women required less pain medication duringmenstruation
-25%
-46%-50%
Pycnogenoldaily
pre-treatment
menstrual cycle
1. cycle 2. cycle
high pain
low pain
Pycnogenolgradually decreases menstrual pain
-24%
-36%
8/12/2019 Pycnogenol for Menstrual Discomfort
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Endometriosis
ndometriosis is a condition involving the tissue that
overs t e uter ne cav ty en ometr um , w c s
e ur ng menstruat on. In en ometr os s t s t s-
ue has movedoutside the uterus and grown else-
w ere n t e o y. T e most common p aces w t -
sp ace en ometr um are t e ovar es, t e ov ucts,
he uterine wall, lining of the pelvis andeven the blad-
er an ntest nes. How t e en ometr a ce s reac
t er organs rema nsun nown. T e sp ace t ssue
behaves like uterine endometrium in responding to
emont y cyc e. B ee ng occurs ut ce s cannotx t t e o y, an pa n u n ammat onerupts. In ev-
ry cycle the growths adds extra tissue and for this
eason en ometr os ssymptoms ten to get worse
ver t me.
Stan ar treatment nvo ves NSAIDs or pa n re e . In
ore a vance cases surgery scons ere t e est
reatment option. Hormonal treatment is commonly
pp e ortreatment o en ometr os s. Ora contra-
ept ves oc t e e ects o natura ormones onen-dometrial growth, which can make endometriosis less
pa n u . T e most e ect vetreatment s ac eve w t
e synt et c pept e Leuprore n w c oc s oes-
rogenproduction. Leuprorelin cannot be taken orally
n t ere ore an a ong- ast ng epot s n ecte un-
er t e s n. T e sa vantage o Leuprore n s t e
nterruption of menses andwomen cannot get preg-
ant. T e treatment s m te to 6 mont s ecause
t e r s orosteoporos s an a ter scont nuat on a
elapse is very likely.
Pycnogenolis helpful for women with
endometriosise poss ty o mprov ng en ometr os s w t
ycnogeno was nvest gate n acomparat ve c n ca
tudy with 58 women receiving either Pycnogenolor
euprore n Ko ama et a ., 007 . A women a un-
ergone surg ca treatment o en ometr os s w t n
6months prior to participation. They suffered recur-
ent mo erate to severe en ometr os s an re useurt er surgery.
Treatment w t Pycnogeno gra ua y ecrease men-
strual pain from initial severepain to moderate pain
t tr a en . T e pa nscore was owere s gn cant y
y 33% ur ng t e treatment per o . Leuprore nsup-
pressed menstruation during treatment.Pycnogenol
was e ect ve or s ow y utstea y ecreas ng pe v c
pa n rom n t a severe to mo erate pa n. Leuprore n
wassignificantly more effective; however, adramatic
re apse occurre w t n 24 wee sa ter o gate s-
ont nuat on.
A spec c ant gen CA-125 s s e rom n ame en-
ometr omas nto t e oo stream an serum CA-125
is considered a good marker for evaluation of the se-
ver ty o a vance en ometros s. Pycnogeno gn -
ant y owere serum CA-125 n cat ng a re uct on
fendometrioma size. Lowering of CA-125 was dra-mat ca y more e ectve w t Leuprore n, owever, va -
ues a most returne to ase ne a ter scont nuaton.
As expecte Leuprore n rast ca y owere womens
estrogen eve . In contrast, over t ew o e treatment
period Pycnogenol did not influence womens oes-
trogen eve .
Menstrual Discomfort
Pycnogenol Leuprorelin Discontinued
0 4 12 48 weeks24
severe
moderate
mild
Pycnogenollowers pelvic pain in endometriosis
8/12/2019 Pycnogenol for Menstrual Discomfort
5/5I Horphag Research-Geneva, SwitzerlandI Horphag Research Asia-Shanghai, ChinaI Natural Health Science-Hoboken NJ, USAI www.pycnogenol.comI HORPHAGI
n conc us on, Pycnogeno s s gn cant y e ect ve or mprov ng en ometr os s, t oug t snot as e ect ve as oes-
rogen-inhibition with Leuprorelin. The advantage of Pycnogenolisthe absence of severe side effects. Interestingly,
ve women w t en ometr os s ta ng Pycnogeno e t t e stu y ecause t ey ecame pregnant.
he application of Pycnogenolfor dysmenorrhoea and endometriosis is patented (US patent6,372,266.).
Referencesrench L. Dysmenorrhea.Am Fam Phys 71: 285-291, 2005.
Grimm T, C ovanova Z, Muc ova J et a .In i ition o NF- B activation an MMP-9 secretion y p asma o uman vo unteers
fter ingestion of maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol ). J Inflamm 3: 1-15, 2006.
Ko ama T, Suzu i N, T e treatment o gynaeco ogica isor ers wit Pycnogeno Eur Bu Drug Res 7 2 : 30-32, 1999.
Ko ama T, Suzu i N, Ohno S et al. Analgesic efficacy French L. Dysmenorrhea. Am Fam Phys 71: 285-291, 2005.
Grimm T, C ovanova Z, Muc ova J et a . In i ition o NF- B activation an MMP-9 secretion y p asma o uman vo unteers
fter ingestion of maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol ). J Inflamm 3: 1-15, 2006.
Ko ama T, Suzu i N,T e treatment o gynaeco ogica isor ers wit Pycnogeno . Eur Bu Drug Res 7 2 : 30-32, 1999.
Ko ama T, Suzu i N,O no S et a . Ana gesic e icacy o Pycnogeno in ysmenorr ea. An open c inica tria. J Repro Me
9 10 : 828-832, 2004.
Ko ama T, Herai K, Inoue M.Effect of French maritime pine bark extract on endometriosis as compared with Leuprorelin ac-
tate. J Rep Me , in print, 2007.
chfer A, Chovanova Z, Muchova J et al.Inhibition of COX-1 and COX-2 activity by plasma of human volunteers after ingestion
Frenc maritime pine ar extract Pycnogeno . Biome & P armacot er 60: 5-9, 2006.
uzuki N, Uebaba K, Kohama T et al. Effect of Pycnogenol, French Maritime Pine Bark Extract, on Dysmenorrhea: a multi-
enter, ran omize , ou e- in , p ace o-contro e stu y. J Repro Me , in print 2007.
Menstrual Discomfort
C n ca researc suggests Pycnogeno prov es s gn cant ene ts or women v ng w t
menstrua scom ort:
Soothing of pain during the menstrual period
Natural anti-inflammatory activity
Less pa n me cat on s requre
Less ays w t menstrua pa n
Improvement of endometriosis
Oestrogen levels remain unaffected
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