Pine Bark A Powerful Antioxidant

October 15, 2008 – 11:41 pm

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Had Your Pine Bark Today?

People around the world have used pine bark remedies to treat various health problems from coughs to wounds for quite some time. Pine bark extract comes from the bark of the European coastal pine, pinus maritime. The rough bark of this particular pine tree contains a rich source of flavonoids. Recent research suggests that many of the compounds found in pine bark such as oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes (OPCs) act as a powerful antioxidant in the human body. These OPCs are among the most potent antioxidants existing today and they seem to help cells defend against the damages of free radicals.

Free radicals, or oxidants, are unstable molecules with an unpaired (free) electron. Free radicals result when your body is exposed to air pollution, stress, chemicals, radiation, or cigarette smoke. They can even result when food is converted to energy. Unfortunately, these free radicals can build up and over time start attacking normal cells and tissues. When the body has adequate antioxidants, it can defend against these destructive predators. Antioxidants provide the extra electron to neutralize the damaging effect of free radicals. By keeping these oxidants under control, the body is better able to fight off diseases and to recover from injuries.

So where do you find the right antioxidants? Pine bark extract, olive polyphenols, RosaEx, Coenzyme Q10, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E certainly seem to help fend off the damage done by free radicals.

Pine Bark Health Benefits
In France, both the pine bark extract and OPCs have undergone extensive testing for safety and effectiveness. They have been shown to protect cells from free radical damage and increase the effectiveness of other antioxidants including vitamins A, C, and E and the mineral selenium. Studies have shown that the antioxidant power of OPCs is much stronger than vitamin C and vitamin E. Pine bark extract is one of the few antioxidants capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier to protect brain cells. Further, researchers have found that pine bark extract provides support for heart, circulation, and brain systems.

Scientific Studies
In an in vitro research study, reported in the January 2006 issue of International Journal of Vitamin and Nutrition Research, lab rats were divided into four groups. The purpose of this study was to measure the potential antioxidant benefits of consuming procyanidin-rich pine bark and grape seed extracts. For eight weeks, two groups of rats were fed either a pine bark extract or grape seed extract (500 mg/kg of body weight). Procyanidin extracts were not included in the diet of the other two groups. Analysis of the blood at the end of the study concluded that total antioxidant capacity was significantly higher for the two groups receiving the pine bark and grape seed extracts. Also, during the study, blood was analyzed two hours after consumption of the procyanidin extracts and the researchers found that the ferric-reducing antioxidant power values were higher in extract groups (indicating the presence of antioxidants) compared to the control groups.

The October 2002 issue of Lipids reported on the results of a study aimed to determine the effect of supplementing with a patented extract of maritime pine bark. Twenty-five healthy people took 150 mg per day of pine bark extract for six weeks. Blood samples were collect at the beginning, at three weeks, at six weeks, and at ten weeks after the start of the study. The six-week blood samples showed a significant increase in polyphenol levels, which returned to normal in the ten-week samples. A significant increase in oxygen radical absorbance capacity was recorded during the supplementation period validating the antioxidant effect of the extracts. Fifteen of the subjects recorded a significant reduction in LDL cholesterol levels and an increase in HDL cholesterol levels.

References:
Busserolles J., Gueux E., Balasinska B., Piriou Y., Rock E., Rayssiguier Y., Mazur A. “In vivo antioxidant activity of procyanidin-rich extracts from grape seed and pine (Pinus maritima) bark in rats.” International Journal of Vitamin and Nutrition Research: Switzerland; January 2006.
Devaraj Sridevi, Vega-López Sonia, Kaul Nalini, Schönlau Frank, Rohdewald Peter, Jialal Ishwarlal. “Supplementation with a Pine Bark Extract Rich in Polyphenols Increases Plasma Antioxidant Capacity and Alters the Plasma Lipoprotein Profile.” Lipids: AOCS Press; October 2002.

Resources:
Dupler Douglas. “Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine: Pine bark extract.” Thomson Gale; December 2004.
Kilham Chris. “OPC: The Miracle Antioxidant.” McGraw-Hill: Ohio; January 1998.
D’Raye Tonita. “The Great Grape and Fine Pine, OPC Antioxidant Extracts.” Awieca Inc.; April 15, 2001.