In a previous, double-blind, placebo-controlled study we evaluated the efficacy of a 3-month treatment with
Pycnogenol for 156 patients with
osteoarthritis of the knee.
Pycnogenol significantly decreased
joint pain and improved joint function as evaluated using the WOMAC score and walking performance of patients on a treadmill. In this study, we further investigated the anti-inflammatory and
antioxidant activity of
Pycnogenol in a subset of the
osteoarthritis patients presenting with elevated
C-reactive protein (CRP) and plasma-
free radicals. Elevated CRP levels have been suggested to be associated with
disease progression in
osteoarthritis. In our study, 29 subjects of the
Pycnogenol group and 26 patients in the placebo group showed CRP levels higher than 3 mg/l at baseline. Comparison of blood specimens drawn at baseline and after 3-month treatment showed that
Pycnogenol significantly decreased plasma
free radicals to 70.1% of baseline values. Plasma CRP levels decreased from baseline 3.9 mg/l to 1.1 mg/l in the
Pycnogenol group whereas the control group had initial values of 3.9 mg/l which decreased to 3.6 mg/l. The CRP decrease in the
Pycnogenol was statistical significant as compared to the control group (P < 0.05).
Fibrinogen levels were found to be lowered to 62.8% of initial values (P < 0.05) in response to
Pycnogenol. No significant changes for plasma
free radicals, CRP and
fibrinogen were found in the placebo-treated group. The decrease of systemic inflammatory markers suggests that
Pycnogenol may exert anti-inflammatory activity in osteoarthritic joints and patients did not present with other ailments or
infections. The nature of the anti-inflammatory effects of
Pycnogenol with regard to CRP warrants further investigation.