Variations in C-reactive protein, plasma free radicals and fibrinogen values in patients with osteoarthritis treated with Pycnogenol^Ž

Authors: Belcaro, G.; Cesarone, M.R.; Errichi, S.; Zulli, C.; Errichi, B.M.; Vinciguerra, G.; Ledda, A.; Di Renzo, A.; Stuard, S.; Dugall, M.; Pellegrini, L.; Gizzi, G.; Ippolito, E.; Ricci, A.; Cacchio, M.; Cipollone, G.; Ruffini, I.; Fano, F.; Hosoi, M.; Rohdewald, P.

Source: Redox Report, Volume 13, Number 6, December 2008 , pp. 271-276(6)

Publisher: Maney Publishing

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Abstract:

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.

Keywords: OSTEOARTHRITIS; INFLAMMATION; CRP; PYCNOGENOL REG

Document Type: Research Article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/135100008X309019

Affiliations: Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Germany

Publication date: 2008-12-01

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