Understanding Maritime Pine Bark Extract

Maritime pine bark extract is often touted for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Make sure you’re up to speed on this popular supplement.

This extract comes from the maritime pine tree, which is native to several Mediterranean countries. Patients may refer to it as Pycnogenol – the US registered trademark for a specific extract derived from French maritime pine. It contains several active constituents, including procyanidins – a type of flavonoid. The procyanidins in the extract seem to improve blood flow and reduce swelling.

Maritime pine is promoted for a lot of conditions, with varying evidence of benefit. It seems to improve leg pain and swelling in people with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), possibly due to its procyanidins content. Several clinical studies show that taking maritime pine extract in doses of 100-120 mg by mouth three times daily improves symptoms when used for 3-12 weeks – plus it seems to reduce ankle swelling more than compression stockings. There’s also some positive evidence suggesting it might reduce both rescue inhaler use in asthma and pain medication use in osteoarthritis.

Common cold and allergies are another touted use for this supplement. There’s limited research that chemicals in the extract may have antiviral effects and also block histamine release. But if patients ask about this, explain that there isn’t any good clinical evidence showing it helps treat colds or reduce allergies.

As for safety, maritime pine bark extract is generally well-tolerated – stomach upset, dizziness, and vertigo are the most common side effects. But note that it inhibits platelet aggregation, so use caution in patients with bleeding conditions. For those interested in giving it a try, suggest a product standardized to contain about 70% procyanidins – this is similar to the product used in most research.

Check out our monograph to learn more.