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Pycnogenol® is an extract from french maritime bark. A recent study suggests that the polyphenols in Pycnogenol® may be absorbed directly into the synovial fluid of the joint, potentially helping people with osteoarthritis. Synovial fluid is found in the cavities of synovial joints and it helps reduce friction in the articular cartilage of those joints.
Participants in the study included 33 people who had severe osteoarthritis and were scheduled for knee replacement surgery. Half of the group was given 200 mg per day of Pycnogenol® for three weeks leading up to surgery, while the other half was given a placebo. The researchers collected synovial fluid samples during surgery.
At the conclusion of the study, the researchers noted that the polyphenols found in Pycnogenol® — including taxifolin, ferulic acid, and catechin — were present throughout the synovial fluid of the Pycnogenol® group. They were not present in the samples from the control group.
This is the first evidence that the polyphenols present in Pycnogenol® distirbute into the synovial fluid of people with osteoarthritis.
Researchers from Wurzberg University in Germany led the study. It was published on April 28, 2017, in the journal Nutrients.
Previous studies have found that Pycnogenol® may help improve blood pressure, muscle soreness, osteoarthritis, diabetes, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, endometriosis, menopausal symptoms, ringing in the ears, erectile dysfunction and retinopathy.