by HM Yang, et al.
August 24, 2007
[Note: ‘climacteric syndrome’ refers to symptoms experienced by some women during menopause, such as hot flashes, chills, headache, irritability, depression.]
Background: French maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol(R)) was found to alleviate menstrual pain and reduce hyperactivity in clinical studies. These results suggest the possibility to observe positive effects in treating climacteric syndrome.
Objective. Clinical investigation of the effect of Pycnogenol(R), French maritime pine bark extract, on the climacteric syndrome.
Methods. Some 200 peri-menopausal women were enrolled in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, and treated with Pycnogenol(R) (200mg) daily.
Climacteric symptoms were evaluated by the Women's Health Questionnaire (WHQ), patients were checked for antioxidative status and routine chemistry.
A total of 155 women completed the study.
Results. All climacteric symptoms improved, antioxidative status increased, and LDL/HDL ratio [the ratio of low-density (‘bad’) to high-density (‘good’) cholesterol] was favorably altered by Pycnogenol(R).
No side effects were reported.
Conclusion. Pycnogenol(R) may offer an alternative method to reducing climacteric symptoms without unwanted effects.
Source: Acta Obstetricia Gynecologica Scandinavica. 2007;86(8):978-85. PMID: 17653885, by Yang HM, Liao MF, Zhu SY, Liao MN, Rohdewald P. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ham-Ming Hospital, Taiwan.
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