Background: The standardized maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol®) has previously shown symptom alleviating effects in patients suffering from moderate forms of knee osteoarthritis (OA). The cellular mechanisms for this positive impact are so far unknown. The purpose of the present randomized pilot controlled study was to span the knowledge gap between the reported clinical effects of Pycnogenol® and its in vivo mechanism of action in OA patients.
Methods: Thirty three patients with severe OA scheduled for a knee arthroplasty either received 100 mg of Pycnogenol® twice daily or no treatment (control group) three weeks before surgery. Cartilage, synovial fluid and serum samples were collected during surgical intervention. Relative gene expression of cartilage homeostasis markers were analyzed in the patients' chondrocytes. Inflammatory and cartilage metabolism mediators were investigated in serum and synovial fluid samples.
Results: The oral intake of Pycnogenol® downregulated the gene expression of various cartilage degradation markers in the patients' chondrocytes, the decrease of MMP3, MMP13 and the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL1B were statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05). Additionally, protein concentrations of ADAMTS-5 in serum were reduced significantly (p ≤ 0.05) after three weeks intake of the pine bark extract.
Conclusions: This is the first report about positive cellular effects of a dietary supplement on key catabolic and inflammatory markers in patients with severe OA. The results provide a rational basis for understanding previously reported clinical effects of Pycnogenol® on symptom scores of patients suffering from OA.
Trial Registration: ISRCTN10754119 . Retrospectively registered 08/10/2015.
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5732384 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12906-017-2044-1 | DOI Listing |
Ann Coloproctol
January 2025
Department of Colorectal Surgery, Graduate School of Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, China.
Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the long-term efficacy of the ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tract (LIFT) procedure in treating high transsphincteric fistulas.
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Obes Res Clin Pract
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Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University Children's Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Hepatitis Research Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University Children's Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department and Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Bioethics, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address:
Background: Lifestyle modification (LM) is the mainstay in the management of obese children. This study aimed to investigate the long-term effects of a pediatric cohort participating in a hospital-based LM program.
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Res Social Adm Pharm
January 2025
Department of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 43, Legon, Ghana. Electronic address:
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Food Chem
January 2025
College of Life Sciences, Dalian Minzu University, Dalian 116600, China; Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Bioresources Utilization, Ministry of Education, Dalian 116600, China. Electronic address:
Neurobiol Dis
January 2025
Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States; Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA 92161, United States.
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