What are the effects of Pycnogenol on endothelium-dependent vasodilation in humans?
Pycnogenol Pine Bark Extract, a randomized trial (Hypertens Res 2007, PMID 18037769) — pycnogenol augmented the FBF response to ACh from 13.1 +/- 7.0 to 18.5 +/- 4.0 mL/min per 100 mL tissue (p<0.05), while placebo did not. The study was conducted on a small sample of healthy young men, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other populations or conditions.
Source: Hypertens Res 2007, PMID 18037769 ↗ · Research map · How Magellan grades evidence · evidence confidence: high
Hypertens Res · 2007 · PMID 18037769 · DOI 10.1291/hypres.30.775
Pycnogenol increases blood vessel dilation by boosting nitric oxide production in healthy young men.
The question
What are the effects of Pycnogenol on endothelium-dependent vasodilation in humans?
What they tested
Pycnogenol, an antioxidant-rich extract, may enhance endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression and subsequent nitric oxide release, thereby augmenting endothelium-dependent vasodilation.
How they did it
This double-blind, randomized, placebo and active drug study evaluated forearm blood flow (FBF) responses to acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) in healthy young men. Participants received either 180 mg/day of Pycnogenol (n=8) or placebo (n=8) orally for 2 weeks. FBF was measured using strain-gauge plethysmography before and after treatment. The effect of an NO synthase inhibitor, N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine, on Pycnogenol-induced FBF response was also assessed.
What they found
Neither placebo nor Pycnogenol altered forearm or systemic hemodynamics. Pycnogenol augmented the FBF response to ACh from 13.1 +/- 7.0 to 18.5 +/- 4.0 mL/min per 100 mL tissue (p<0.05), while placebo did not. SNP-stimulated vasodilation was similar before and after treatment in both groups. The NO synthase inhibitor N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine completely abolished the Pycnogenol-induced augmentation of the FBF response to ACh.
| Pycnogenol (Before) | 13.1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pycnogenol (After) | 18.5 |
Forearm blood flow response to acetylcholine significantly increased after 2 weeks of Pycnogenol treatment.
What it means
Pycnogenol augments endothelium-dependent vasodilation by increasing nitric oxide production. This suggests Pycnogenol could be useful for treating diseases involving endothelial dysfunction.
Limitations
The study was conducted on a small sample of healthy young men, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other populations or conditions.
The paper at a glance
| Magellan’s evidence label | augments NO, vasodilation (our label for this citation — see PubMed for the paper’s own title and authors) |
|---|---|
| Journal | Hypertens Res |
| Year | 2007 |
| PMID | 18037769 ↗ |
| DOI | 10.1291/hypres.30.775 ↗ |
| Topic | Cardiovascular & vascular aging |
Read the source: PubMed record (authors, abstract, full citation) ↗ · Publisher via doi.org ↗
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Pycnogenol Pine Bark Extract
In human trials, Pycnogenol has improved flow-mediated dilation and other measures of endothelial function in people with coronary artery disease and hypertension, and a meta-analysis of 12 trials reports modest reductions in blood pressure (about 3 mmHg systolic and 2 diastolic), though the effects are often small…
Pycnogenol is a standardized extract of the bark of the French maritime pine (Pinus pinaster ssp…
Research describes the compound or intervention studied. It is not a claim about any specific product.
Molecules & mechanisms in this paper
Each of these is named in the paper’s own words above. Open the monograph for the full mechanism and its other citations.
Cite this page
These citations point at this summary. To cite the original paper with its full author list, use the PubMed record or doi.org.
Magellan Longevity. (2026). What are the effects of Pycnogenol on endothelium-dependent vasodilation in humans? [Plain-English summary of Hypertens Res 2007, PMID 18037769, DOI 10.1291/hypres.30.775]. Magellan Longevity. https://magellanlongevity.com/study/s117.html@misc{magellan_s117,
title = {What are the effects of Pycnogenol on endothelium-dependent vasodilation in humans?},
author = {{Magellan Longevity}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://magellanlongevity.com/study/s117.html}},
note = {Plain-English summary of PubMed PMID 18037769; DOI 10.1291/hypres.30.775; Hypertens Res 2007. Reviewed by Gabriel Radu, DO},
urldate = {2026-08-11}
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