Etudes scientifiques

Pycnogenol^® for Eye Health

Blindness represents the most feared disability and vision loss most commonly results from the diseases cataract, macula degeneration, retinopathy and glaucoma. The retina is the tissue with the highest metabolic turn-over in the body, with the consequence of the highest oxidative stress. Free radical damage is understood to be involved in the processes leading to cataract and macula degeneration. Retinopathy is a disease affecting the capillaries supporting the retina, which turn brittle and leak blood into the retinal tissue. In turn, the light-sensing cones and rods in the retina decay, causing irreversible vision loss. Retinopathy typically is a consequence of a systemic disease affecting the vascular system, predominantly diabetes but also atherosclerosis and hypertension. Addressing the systemic disease, therefore, represents the best preventative measure. Retinopathy is considered a “stealth disease” as it develops slowly, there are no warning signs (it is painless) and causes no symptoms until the disease is relatively advanced. Retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in people under the age of 60 in industrialized nations.

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Bibliography

Pycnogenol^® either alone or in combination with other antioxidants stimulates antioxidant enzyme activities in the retina of diabetic rats.
Dene, B.A., Maritime, A.C., Sanders, R.A. and Watkins III J.B. (2005)Effects of Antioxidant Treatment on Normal and Diabetic rat retinal enzyme activities.Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Vol. 21(1): 28-35

Pycnogenol^® increases anti-oxidative enzyme concentrations in the retina of rats, suggesting a lower risk for retinopathy and cataract formation.
Kamuren, Z.T., McPeek, C.G., Sanders, R.A., Watkins III, J.B. (2006)Effects of Low-Carbohydrate Diet and Pycnogenol^® Treatment on Retinal Antioxidant Enzymes in Normal and Diabetic Rats. Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics 22(1): 10-18.

Pycnogenol^® protects retina of the eye against damage caused by oxidative stress. The effect is more pronounced when compared to other antioxidant bioflavonoids. Pycnogenol^® enhances the effects of other antioxidants like Coenzyme Q10 when combined together.
Chida, M., Suzuki, K., Nakanishi-Ueda, T., Ueda, T., Yasuhara, H., Koide, R. and Armstrong, D. (1999)In vitro testing of antioxidants and biochemical end-points in bovine retinal tissue.Ophthalmic Research, 31: 407-415.

Pycnogenol^® protects the retina of the eye against free radicals damage.
Ueda, T., Ueda, T. and Armstrong D. (1996)Preventive effect of natural and synthetic antioxidants on lipid peroxidation in the mammalian eye.Ophthalmic Research, 28: 184-192.

Pycnogenol^® shows beneficial effects in retinopathy
Spadea, L. and Balestrazzi, E. (2001)Treatment of vascular retinopathies with Pycnogenol^®.Phytother. Res., 15: 219-223.

The review contains results of 5 clinical studies with Pycnogenol^® showing the efficacy of Pycnogenol^® supplementation for patients with diabetic retinopathy.
Schönlau, F. and Rohdewald, P. (2002)Pycnogenol^® for diabetic retinopathy: A review.International Ophthalmology, 24: 161-171.

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