Proanthocyanidins

NEW ANTIOXIDANT DEFENDS AGAINST FREE RADICAL DAMAGE
UNLIKE VIRTUALLY ALL OTHER DIETARY ANTlOXIDANTS, PROANTHOCYANIDINES READILY CROSS THE BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER TO PROTECT VITAL BRAIN AND NERVE TISSUE FROM  OXIDATION  THUS  HELPING  TO PREVENT SENILITY.
Nutrition News, 1989
In vitro studies have shown proanthocyanidins to be 50 times more effective as an antioxidant than vitamin E and 20 times more effective than vitamin C. This powerful antioxidant action has also been demonstrated in human and animal studies. Unlike virtually all other dietary antioxidants proanthocyanidins readily cross the blood-brain barrier to protect vital brain and nerve tissue from oxidation thus helping to prevent senility.
FREE RADICALS
Free radicals are molecular structures  which  contain  an unpaired electron. This unpaired electron has the ipetus to combine with  fatty  acids  and  other substances within the body. Each free  radical  is  capable  of destroying an enzyme or protein molecule  or  complete  cell. Allowed  to  increase  without control, free radicals can multiply geometrically. This chain reaction can damage cell structures so badly that DNA codes are altered and  the  result  is  what  we commonly call aging.  To  combat  the  destructive effects of free radicals, antioxidant nutrients "donate" electrons to stabilize the molecule and prevent its reaction with body tissues.
Oligomers ProanthoCyanidin (OPC)
Professor Dr. Jacques Masquelier is truly the father of OPCs. He searched for them and discovered them following an obscure lead in explorer, Jacques Cartiers log book from 1534. Masquelier went on to patent increasingly refined extraction techniques for the isolation of OPCS from plant material. His first patents were granted in 1948 (OPC from peanuts skills) and 1951 (OPC from pine bark) in France, with others following both in France and other countries (e.g. U.S. 1969).
 Professor Masquelier went on to fully characterize the various oligomeric proanthocyanidins and name them both individually and as a group. In 1979, Masquelier et. al. argued in one of their published works that the flavonols (those polyphenols or bioflavonoids with a flavan nucleus) "should no longer be regarded as a subcategory of flavonoids but rather as a separate, independent class of its own."
 Professor Masquelier labeled the small condensed forms of flavan-3-ols "pycnogenols" a word that means "substances which deliver condensation products".  He used his word throughout his scientific writings and wished it to become a generic term for the unique class of flavonols, the OPCS.
 Despite Masquelier's wishes, his word "Pycnogenol" has been trademarked in various countries by a number of different marketing companies. The professor has retained control over his intellectual property (the word "pycnogenol") in only France and a few other countries.
 Because of the loss of the name in North America, the original "pycnogenols" invented by Masquelier must travel under the pseudonyms. These extracts are endorsed by Masquelier, and manufactured by Berkem, the company Masquelier selected to produce his invention in commercial quantities.
U.S. Patent no.4,698,360; Oct. 6, 1987
Standardized OPC from Grape Seeds and from Pine Bark
 Arguably this combination is the most powerful natural anti-oxidant yet discovered.
OPC from grape seeds contains the gallic esters of Proanthocyanidins (in particular:
Proanthocyanidin B2 - 3'-0 - gallate). These proanthocyanidin-esters have been recently described as the most active substances in the battle against free radicals.
OPC from grape seeds is marketed in France as a pharmaceutical product. From 1972 to 1978 intensive analytical, toxicological, pharmacological and clinical studies have been performed with OPC from grape seeds to obtain authorization to market the product as a medicine.
Pine bark from the European coastal pine, Pinus Maritima, a concentrated storehouse, not only of proanthocyanidins but nearly 40 other biologically active compound such as naturally occurring organic acids. Arguably this combination is the most powerful natural antioxidant yet discovered.
Proanthocyanidins Defined
 The proanthocyanidins consist of flavan-3-ols, which are also known as catechin and its stereoisomer spicatechin, plus "condensed" forms of flavan-3-ols. In the world of flavan-3-ols, to "condense" means to join together in new molecular configurations. One flavan-3-ol alone is a monomer; two together make a dimer; three make a trimer; and so oil. Proanthocyanidins are then, by definition, monomers, dimers, trimers and few tetramers and penatamers of the flavan-3-ols, a special class of flavonoids formed from catechin and epicatechin. Large condensation, or polymers, are known as tannins and fall outside the realm of pproanthocyanidins.
NUMEROUS HUMAN AND ANIMAL STUDIES HAVE PROVEN THE RAPID UPTAKE AND DISTRIBUTION OF PROANTHOCYANIDINS THROUGHOUT THE BODY. BEING WATER SOLUBLE. THEY ARE ABSORBED ALMOST INSTANTLY. Within 20 minutes, much is absorbed and on its way to the tissues. WITHIN ONE HOUR OF INGESTION, PROANTHOCYANIDINS CAN BE DETECTED IN THE SALIVA. EXPERIMENTS TRACING RADIOACTIVELY TAGGED PROANTHOCYANIDINS SHOW THAT ThEY ARE RAPIDLY ABSORBED AND FIXED TO CELL MEMBRANES IN ThE VASCULAR SYSTEM AND CONNECTIVE TISSUES. They remain in the tissues for about three days before being gradually eliminated, primarily through the urine.
 Being part of the flavonoid family, proanthocyanidins are also active transporters of vitamin C and are known to potentiate its antiscorbutic effects. (1) New Antioxidant Defends against Free Radical Damage, Nutrition News, 1989
Double-blind study of Proanthocyanidin in chronic venous insufficiency
This article reports a double-blind study comparing procyanidolic oligomers (Proanthocyanidin) with semi-synthetic diosmin in 50 patients with symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency. Both substances were effective in peripheral venous insufficiency but there was a statistically significant advantage In favor of procyanidolic oligomers (Proanthocyanidin) with regard to rapidity and duration of action.
Delacrois P Double-Blind study of Proanthocyanidin in chronic venous insufficiency.
La Revue De Med 27:28-31; 1981.
The information included in this article is not to be considered a claim or representation that ny information or product in intended for use in diagnosis, treatment, cure, mitigation or prevention of any disease.  Any recommendations for use, diagnosis, treatment, etc. is based completely on the discretion of the doctor.  This information is considered to be of current nutritional interest and to be based upon reputable and respected authority although certain persons considered experts my disagree with one or more of the determination and opinions expressed or conveyed.  69210

Questions & Answers About Pycnogenols

Q: What are Pycnogenols?
A: Pycnogenols are a natural plant product made from the bark of the European coastal pine. Pinus Ivaritima. or from grape seeds.
They have. beyond question. been shown 10 have powerful free radical Scavenging activity. and can counter act the effects of aging.
They are a concentrated special class of waler-soluble bioflavonoids that are almost instantly bioavailable in man.
Q: What are Bioflavonoids?
A: Bioflavonoids are a group of low molecular weight plant substances with recognized antioxidant (free radical scavenging) properties and with the ability to inhibit the cenlain enzymes which cause inflammation in the body.
Q: Are all bioflavonoids the same?
A: No. there are over 20.000 bioflavonoids. Some are more active than others. some are more valuable than others. A few which have shown biological value in the laboratory have not performed well when manufactured in commercial quantities and when tested in living aniimals.
Q: What makes Pycnogenols different?
A: They are bioavailable. Numerous human and animal studies have proved the rapid uptake and distribution of Pycnogenols throughout the body. Being water soluble. they are absorbed almost instantly. The bioflavonoids that make up Pycnogenols are special. They are called proanthocyanidins. Pycnogenols are 85% to 95% proanthocyanidins.
Q: How pure are Pycnogenols?
A: Very pure. They are 85% to 95% pure proanthocyanidins. The few remaining percentages of Pycnogenols have been fully identified as plant fibers. nutrients and trace amounts of harmless plant substances such as cellulose. Practically no other natural plant material has been so fully analyzed. There are no solvent residues. natural or synthetic additives or other dilutents in Pycuogenols.
Q: Are Pycuogenols at all toxic?
A: Not at all. Pycnogenols have gone through extensive testing at prestigious research centers such as the Pasteur [Institute.
Huntington Institute. and others over many years to confirm their purity and safety. Pycnogenols are non-toxic. non-mutagenic. and
non-carcinogenic.
Q: How quickly do Pycuogenols act in man?
A: Within 20 minutes most are absorbed and on their way to the tissues. Within one hour of ingestion Pycnogenols can be detected in the saliva.
Q: How long do Pycuogenols remain in the body?
A: Three days. What comes in circulates in bodily fluids and is held in the collagen for 72 hours. It is then gradually eliminated through the urine (primarily) and perspiration (secondarily).
Q: How much should I take?
A: The amount varies from person to person. Larger people can use more. Therapeutic doses are usually 10 milligrams per bIbs of body weight This means a 160 pound man or women would take about 160 mgs. at first to reach tissue saturation. Saturation is reached in 7 to 10 days. Then the dosage can be cut back to one-half or less - about 50 to 60 mgs. per day - to simply replace what is eliminated each day.
Q: Are Pycnogenols acidic like ascorbic acid or alkaline like some minerals?
A: Pycnogenols are acidic. They have a low pH of 2.5 to 4.0. A healthy stomach will carry a pH of 1.5 to 2.0. The pH of a mixed meal in the stomach is commonly between 4.5 and 5.5. These numbers tell us Pycnogenols are beautifully compatible with human digestion
Q: Who discovered Pycuogenols?
A: Dr. 1. Masquelier of the University of Bordeaux isolated, identiified, and characterized Pycuogenols. He, in fact, invented the name Pycuogenols to denote the highly bioavailable, water soluble, class of special bioflavonoids he had discovered.
 
These Web Pages where constructed from various health and other publications on Nutrition.  The sole purpose is to provide information and is not considered to be medical advice. No medical claims are being made by Dr.H. Edward Elrod, or The Elrod Clinic.
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