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Home > Anti-aging Research > Grape Seed Extract

Procyanidolic Oligomers/Grape Seed Extract/Pine Bark/Pycnogenol

Note:  Some say that grape seed extract is the same as Pycnogenol((R)) without the patent markup.  I have moved the information on resveratrol to http://qualitycounts.com/fpresveratrol.htm.

Specific Recommendations:

• Pine Bark/Pycnogenol products at iHerb
• Grape seed products at iHerb
• OPC + 95 products at iHerb
• Jarrow Formulas, OPCs + 95, 100 mg, 100 Capsules
• Vitacost grape seed extracts
• Drugstore.com/GNC grape seed products

News & Research:

• Grape Seed Extract - The Natural Pharmacist
• Grape Seed - Compiled by Chad Bradshaw, Pharm.D
• OPCs come out tops for heart health beverages - Nutra USA, 2/5/10 - "Cranberry juice rich in antioxidant procyanidins is effective at boosting the health of blood vessels ... oligomeric procyanidins (OPC) had “by far the most potent effects” on the function of the endothelium (the cells lining blood vessels)" - [Abstract] - See Jarrow Formulas, Cran Clearance, 680 mg, 100 Capsules at iHerband OPC + 95 products at iHerb.
• Pine bark extract may boost diabetic eye health - Nutra USA, 12/3/09 - "At the end of the study, 75 per cent of participants in the Pycnogenol group subjectively perceived improvements in their visual acuity. Tests showed a significant improvement in visual acuity from 14/20 to 17/20 after two months of Pycnogenol supplementations. No improvements were recorded in the placebo group" -  [Abstract]
• Antioxidant OPCs may boost memory: Animal study - Nutra USA, 10/16/09 - "The results showed that OPC-consuming animals had “improved spatial and object recognition impairment”" - [Abstract] - See OPC + 95 products at iHerb.
• How To Boost Value Of Alzheimer's-fighting Compounds - Science Daily, 9/7/09 - "Connie Weaver, Purdue's head of foods and nutrition; and Elsa Janle, a Purdue associate professor of foods and nutrition, found that the amount of polyphenols from grapeseed extract that can reach a rat's brain is as much as 200 percent higher on the 10th consecutive day of feeding as compared to the first. Many previous experiments, in which absorption was measured after single or sporadic doses, often found very little, if any, of the bioactive polyphenols reaching brain tissues. However, more chronic exposure appears to improve absorption ... This shows that reasonable and chronic consumption of these products may be the way to go, rather than single, high doses"
• Chemicals Found In Fruit And Vegetables Offer Dementia Hope - Science Daily, 7/19/09 - "a new concept is emerging that suggests flavonoids do not act simply as antioxidants but exert their biological effects through other mechanisms. A small number of recent studies carried out in models of Alzheimer’s disease have found that oral administration of green tea flavonoids or grape flavonoids reduces brain pathology and, in some cases, improves cognition. Dr Williams and colleagues have focused their own cellular studies on a flavonoid called epicatechin, which is abundant in a number of foodstuffs, including cocoa ... epicatechin protects brain cells from damage but through a mechanism unrelated to its antioxidant activity and shown in laboratory tests that it can also reduce some aspects of Alzheimer’s disease pathology" - See Jarrow Formulas, OPCs + 95, 100 mg, 100 Capsules at iHerb.
• Benefit Of Grapes May Be More Than Skin Deep: Lower Blood Pressure, Reduced Heart Damage - Science Daily, 4/22/09 - "After 18 weeks, the rats that received the grape-enriched diet powder had lower blood pressure, better heart function, and fewer signs of heart muscle damage than the rats that ate the same salty diet but didn't receive grapes ... Rats that received the blood pressure medicine, hydrazine, along with a salty diet also had lower blood pressure, but their hearts were not protected from damage as they were in the grape-fed group"
• Grape polyphenols may protect against obesity: Study - Nutra USA, 3/18/09 - "animals fed a high-fat diet but supplemented with the grape seed extract had adiponectin levels 61 per cent higher than animals only fed the high fat diet. Adiponectin is a protein hormone linked to various metabolic processes, and levels are inversely related to body fat levels" - [Abstract] - See OPC + 95 products at iHerb.
• Grape Extracts May Be Effective Against Harmful Gut Bacteria - Science Daily, 3/4/09 - "H. pylori is the bacterial agent most commonly associated with peptic ulcers, gastritis, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, and gastric cancer ... The antibacterial effects of extracts from red, white, black and muscadine grapes as well as the pure compounds resveratrol, ellagic acid, and myricetin were tested for anti-H. pylori activity using agar dilution, laser scanning microscopy and cell proliferation. Following 24 hour treatment, results showed that muscadine grape skin extract had the highest anti-H. pylori effect, followed by muscadine grape synergy and seed extract. Additionally, two of the three compounds, resveratrol and ellagic acid, also inhibited H. pylori" - See OPC + 95 products at iHerb and Jarrow Resveratrol 100 at iHerb.
• Grape-seed Extract Kills Laboratory Leukemia Cells, Proving Value Of Natural Compounds - Science Daily, 12/31/08 - "An extract from grape seeds forces laboratory leukemia cells to commit cell suicide, according to researchers from the University of Kentucky. They found that within 24 hours, 76 percent of leukemia cells had died after being exposed to the extract ... They also discovered that the extract does not affect normal cells, although they don't know why"
• Anthocyanins battle blood vessel degradation: study - Nutra USA, 12/22/08 - "OPC was found to effectively delay SIPS (stress induced senescence) caused by exposure to rotenone, a chemical substance that is known to generate oxidative stress ... The ability of OPCs to delay senescence was associated with a decrease in the levels of a marker of DNA damage and DNA terminal ends (gamma-H2AX), suggesting that the possible molecular mechanism by which OPCs delay senescence in endothelial cells is through reduction in DNA damage" - See OPC + 95 products at iHerb.  I've been taking 50 mg three times per day for years.
• Pine bark extract may help joints and hearts: Study - Nutra USA, 12/11/08 - "The decrease of systemic inflammatory markers, particularly CRP, suggests Pycnogenol properties may be potent enough to arrest the spread of inflammation from osteoarthritic joints to the whole organisms ... subjects received either two daily doses of 50 mg Pycnogenol or placebo for three months ... people receiving the pine bark extract experienced significant reductions in CRP levels from an average of 3.9 mg/L at the start of the study to 1.1 mg/L after three months. This is equivalent to a 71 per cent reduction ... Moreover, a reduction in the blood levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) of 30 per cent was recorded" - See pine bark/Pycnogenol products at iHerb.
• Grape seed extract may boost oral health: Study - Nutra USA, 11/26/08 - "The extracts showed a good antibacterial activity, as evidence by the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the test compound against the two strains"
• How Red Wine Compounds Fight Alzheimer's Disease - Science Daily, 11/23/08 - "Teplow's lab has been studying how amyloid beta (Aß) is involved in causing Alzheimer's. In this work, researchers monitored how Aß40 and Aß42 proteins folded up and stuck to each other to produce aggregates that killed nerve cells in mice. They then treated the proteins with a polyphenol compound extracted from grape seeds. They discovered that polyphenols carried a one-two punch: They blocked the formation of the toxic aggregates of Aß and also decreased toxicity when they were combined with Aß before it was added to brain cells"
• Grapes May Aid A Bunch Of Heart Risk Factors, Animal Study Finds - Science Daily, 10/29/08 - "Could eating grapes help fight high blood pressure related to a salty diet? And could grapes calm other factors that are also related to heart diseases such as heart failure? A new University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center study suggests so"
• Grapes And Grape Extracts May Lower Cardiovascular Disease Risk, Review Article Suggests - Science Daily, 10/28/08 - "grape polyphenols work in many different ways to prevent cardiovascular and other "inflammatory-mediated" diseases. Polyphenols are natural antioxidants found in grapes and some other plant foods. Their types and actions vary, depending on where in the grape they are found. Grape seeds, grape skin, and grape juice contain several types of polyphenols, including resveratrol, phenolic acids, anthocyanins, and flavonoids" - See OPC + 95 products at iHerb.
• Anthocyanins and colon cancer: Structure is key, says study - Nutra USA, 9/19/08
• Bilberry and pine bark combo wards off glaucoma: study - Nutra USA, 7/24/08 - "intra-ocular hypertension (IOP) ... The bilberry and pine bark product was Mirtogenol, a combination of Indena's Mirtoselect standardised bilberry extract and Horphag's Pycnogenol pine bark extract ... IOP was also seen to be lowered in 19 of the 20 intervention patients, from an average of 25.2mmHg to 22.0mmHG. Only one of the control patients saw a drop in IOP" - [Abstract] - See bilberry products at iHerb and pine bark/Pycnogenol products at iHerb.
• Effects of Mirtogenol on ocular blood flow and intraocular hypertension in asymptomatic subjects - Mol Vis. 2008 Jul 10;14:1288-92 - "intraocular pressure (IOP) ... After two months of supplementation with Mirtogenol, the mean IOP decreased from a baseline of 25.2 mmHg to 22.2 mmHg. After three months of treatment with Mirtogenol, the IOP was significantly lowered compared to that of untreated controls (p<0.05) to 22.0 mmHg" - [Nutra USA] - See bilberry products at iHerb and pine bark/Pycnogenol products at iHerb.
• Pine bark extract may ease menstrual pains: study - Nutra USA, 6/20/08 - "Pycnogenol, 60 mg per day ... At the end of the study, Suzuki and co-workers found that, while women in the low pain group showed no benefits from pine bark supplementation, women with dysmenorrhea did significantly benefit. In addition to a reduction in the use of NSAIDs, a reduction in the number of painful days due to dysmenorrhea from 2.1 days before supplementation to 1.3 days during the third and fourth menstrual cycle" - See Pine Bark/Pycnogenol products at iHerb or OPC + 95 products at iHerb (some say the grape seed extract is the same without the patent markup).
• Grape Seed Extract May Reduce Cognitive Decline Associated With Alzheimer's Disease - Science Daily, 6/17/08 - "Chemical analysis showed that the major polyphenol components in the study's grape seed extract product are catechin and epicatechin, which are also abundant in tea and cocoa. These components differ from resveratrol, a polyphenol that has been reported to reduce amyloid beta secretion in cells and generally increase lifespan by mimicking calorie restriction. Resveratrol appears to be effective only at extremely high doses, which may limit its use in people. In contrast, the catechins in the extract product studied appear to be effective at much lower doses" - [Nutra USA] - My favorite is the Jarrow OPC + 95 products at iHerb.
• Pine bark extract may boost diabetics' heart health - Nutra USA, 5/12/08 - "recruited diabetic subjects with an average age of 60 and randomly assigned them to receive daily supplements of Pycnogenol (125 mg) or placebo for 12 weeks ... All subjects were receiving pharmaceutical anti-hypertension treatment (angiotensin- converting enzyme [ACE] inhibitors) ... 58.3 per cent of subjects in the Pycnogenol group experienced blood pressure control, defined as attaining a stable systolic blood pressure, compared to 20.8 per cent in the placebo group ... use of ACE inhibitors was reduced by 50 per cent in the group receiving the pine bark extract ... a 23.7 mg/dL reduction in fasting blood glucose levels in the Pycnogenol group, compared to only 5.7 mg/dL in the placebo group"
• Pine bark extract's osteoarthritis potential expanded - Nutra USA, 4/17/08 - "Using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis Index as a measure of arthritis symptoms, the researchers report a 56 per cent reduction in the global WOMAC score for people in the Pycnogenol group, compared to only 9.6 per cent for people in the placebo group. Scores for stiffness were reduced by 53 per cent" - [Abstract] - See Pine Bark/Pycnogenol products at iHerb.
• Study supports Pycnogenol for better memory in elderly - Nutra USA, 3/18/08 - "150mg of Pycnogenol ... three months, the participants receiving Pycnogenol had "significantly improved" memory, as seen in a factor that combined accuracy scored from spatial working memory and numeric working memory tasks"
• Winemaking Waste Proves Effective Against Disease-causing Bacteria In Early Studies - Science Daily, 1/2/08 - "specific polyphenols, present in large amounts in fermented seeds and skins cast away after grapes are pressed, interfere with the ability of bacteria to contribute to tooth decay. Beyond cavities, the action of the wine grape-based chemicals may also hold clues for new ways to lessen the ability of bacteria to cause life-threatening, systemic infections"
• Grape OPCs linked to preventing LDL cholesterol - Nutra USA, 11/23/07 - "The results of the first phase of the project are extremely promising, because they indicate that OPCs, at levels found in circulation after oral intake, are capable of protecting LDL from oxidation, and appear to be more effective protectors than vitamin E" - See OPC + 95 products at iHerb.
• Pine bark extract shows arthritis benefits - Nutra USA, 11/20/07 - "after 90 days of Pycnogenol supplementation the WOMAC scores for self-reported pain, stiffness, and physical function were reduced by 43, 35, and 52, respectively"
• Grape Powder Blocks Genes Linked To Colon Cancer - Science Daily, 11/14/07 - "The Wnt pathway has been linked to more than 85 percent of sporadic colon cancers, which is the most common form of colon cancer ... Wnt signaling in the patients taking 80 grams of grape powder was significantly reduced ... Eighty grams of grape powder equal a half glass of wine or 1 pound of grapes, which is equivalent to three dietary servings of grapes, according to the USDA"
• Chemical In Red Wine, Fruits And Vegetables May Stop Cancer, Heart Disease, Depending On The Dose - Science Daily, 10/30/07 - "very high doses of antioxidant polyphenols shut down and prevent cancerous tumors by cutting off the formation of new blood vessels needed for tumor growth ... the same polyphenols play a beneficial role for those with diseased hearts and circulatory systems by facilitating blood vessel growth ... the amount of polyphenols necessary to obtain an anti-cancer effect is the equivalent of drinking about a bottle of red wine each day"
• Pine bark extract boost for blood flow and heart health - Nutra USA, 10/18/07 - "Acetylcholine stimulates the cells of arteries to produce NO from L-arginine faster ... In turn, the NO causes the muscle surrounding arteries to relax, which results in an increase of blood vessel diameters. When subjects had taken Pycnogenol the relaxation of arteries was increased by 42 per cent as compared to the group taking placebo tablets" - See pine bark/Pycnogenol products at iHerb and Citi Choline products at iHerb.
• Red Wine And Grape Juice Help Defend Against Food-borne Diseases, Study Suggests - Science Daily, 10/11/07
• Proanthocyanidin from grape seeds inactivates the PI3-kinase/PKB pathway and induces apoptosis in a colon cancer cell line - Cancer Lett. 2007 Oct 6 - "grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) ... GSPE (10-100mug/ml) significantly inhibited cell viability and increased apoptosis in CaCo2 cells, but did not alter viability in the normal colon cell line (NCM460). The increased apoptosis observed in GSPE-treated CaCo2 cells correlated with an attenuation of PI3-kinase (p110 and p85 subunits) and decreased PKB Ser(473) phosphorylation. GSPE might thus exert its beneficial effects by means of increased apoptosis and suppression of the important PI3-kinase survival-related pathway"
• Red Wine Protects The Prostate - Science Daily, 5/25/07 - "men who drink an average of four to seven glasses of red wine per week are only 52% as likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer as those who do not drink red wine ... when white wine was compared with red, red had the most benefit ... But much of the speculation focuses on chemicals—including various flavonoids and resveratrol—missing from other alcoholic beverages"
• Pine bark extract shows promise against heart failure - Nutra USA, 5/18/07
• Resveratrol Content Varies Among Red Wines - Science Daily, 4/19/07
• Grape seed extract may protect against skin cancer - Nutra USA, 3/27/07
• More evidence for Pycnogenol endometriosis benefit - Nutra USA, 3/9/07
• Review Article: Resveratrol - Consumerlab.com, 11/30/06
• Pine bark extract shows promise for slowing sugar uptake - Nutra USA, 2/9/07 - "Extracts from French maritime pine bark may inhibit an enzyme linked to glucose absorption 190 times more than a synthetic medication, says new research from Germany that could offer significant benefits for diabetics if the results can be translated from the lab to humans"
• Life-extending compound may be great news -- for mice - CNN, 12/21/06 - "In one study, scientists provided mice a high-calorie, high-fat diet and then gave half of the animals resveratrol. At 114 weeks -- old age for mice -- less than a third of the mice taking resveratrol died. More than half of the mice who did not take resveratrol died. In another study, mice who took resveratrol lost weight, increased metabolism and doubled their exercise endurance"
• Resveratrol could counter metabolic diseases, animal study - Nutra USA, 12/15/06
• Red Wine Ingredient Increases Endurance, Study Shows - New York Times, 11/16/06 - "Resveratrol makes you look like a trained athlete without the training"
• Flavonoid-Rich Grapeseed Extracts: for Cardiovascular Patients - Medscape, 11/9/06 - "The antioxidant and vascular protective aspects of flavonoid-rich products such as GSE, when combined with the potential hypolipidaemic and anti-platelet effects make a strong case for its potential in preventing and treating diseases associated with endothelial injury, oxidative damage and inflammation; chief among which are type 2 DM and atherosclerotic vascular disease ... the use of GSE in such patients may demonstrate concomitant improvements in insulin resistance, endothelial function, inflammation in high-risk patient groups and ultimately cardiovascular outcome"
• Healthy Life Prolonged in Mice - Medscape, 11/3/06 - "In addition to extending their lives, resveratrol also kept the mice fit and healthy in their old age"
• Wine Ingredient May Nix Fat's Effects - WebMD, 11/1/06 - "A new study shows obese, middle-aged mice fed a fatty diet supplemented with resveratrol, an antioxidant found in red wine, seemed to be spared most of the unhealthy effects of their extra weight and lived longer than those fed the same fat-laden diet without resveratrol"
• One for the Ages: A Prescription That May Extend Life - New York Times, 10/31/06 - "One leading candidate, a newly synthesized form of resveratrol — an antioxidant present in large amounts in red wine — is already being tested in patients. It may eventually be the first of a new class of anti-aging drugs. Extrapolating from recent animal findings, Dr. Richard A. Miller, a pathologist at the University of Michigan, estimated that a pill mimicking the effects of calorie restriction might increase human life span to about 112 healthy years"
• Grape Seed Extract Halts Cell Cycle, Checking Growth Of Colorectal Tumors In Mice - Science Daily, 10/29/06 - "documented a 44 percent reduction of advanced colorectal tumors in the animals, and also revealed, for the first time, the molecular mechanism by which grape seed extract works to inhibit cancer growth"
• Grape seed extracts could improve skin from within - Nutra USA, 10/27/06 - "looked at the effect of a OPC dietary supplement on skin reddening (erythema) induced by exposure to UV radiation ... the subjects receiving the dietary supplement of OPCs had 13 per cent less erythema than those receiving no supplement ... Levels of skin hydration were also said to be higher in the group taking the dietary supplement"
• Red Wine vs. Colon Cancer - WebMD, 10/24/06 - "3% of red wine drinkers had such abnormal growths, compared with nearly 9% of white wine drinkers and almost 10% of teetotalers ... they suggest that a compound found in grapes and red wine – the antioxidant resveratrol -- may cut the odds of getting abnormal colon growths that can become cancerous"
• Resveratrol in red wine could cut colorectal cancer risk - Nutra USA, 10/23/06 - "Drinking more than three glasses of red wine a week could cut the risk of colorectal cancer by almost 70 per cent ... the active component in wine that may be behind the apparent benefits is most likely resveratrol"
• Grape Seed Extract vs. Colon Cancer - WebMD, 10/19/06 - "The cancer cells treated with grape seed extract were more likely to halt their normal growth cycle and die, compared to those not treated with the extract"
• Pine bark extract could improve diabetic microangiopathy - Nutra USA, 10/6/06
• Longevity Genes and Caloric restriction - Life Extension Magazine, 7/06 - "Humans seeking to slow aging and reduce degenerative disease risk may consider reducing food intake and ingesting 20-40 mg of resveratrol and 250-850 mg of metformin each day"
• Pine Bark Extract May Effectively Treat ADHD in Boys - Medscape, 6/23/06 - "61 children with ADHD were randomized 2:1 to receive 1 mg/kg/day pine bark extract or placebo for 4 weeks. Average age was 9.5 years ... The pine bark extract group had a significant reduction in hyperactivity and improved attention, visual-motor coordination, and concentration, whereas there were no positive effects noted in the placebo group"
• Pycnogenol May Help Reduce Muscular Cramps and Pain - Medscape, 6/20/06 - "While analog measurements of muscular cramping and pain remained stable in the placebo group during the treatment phase, Pycnogenol significantly improved symptoms"
• Pine bark extract may prevent inflammation - Nutra USA, 4/27/06
• Grape Seed Extract for Blood Pressure? - WebMD, 3/27/06
• Study Shows Grape Seed Extract May Be Effective In Reducing Blood Pressure - Science Daily, 3/27/06 - "The first group received a placebo, while the second and third groups received 150 milligrams and 300 milligrams, respectively, of a new grape seed extract ... Participants in the two groups receiving grape seed extract experienced an equal degree of reduced blood pressure. The average drop in systolic pressure was 12 millimeters. The average drop in diastolic pressure was 8 millimeters" - See iHerb or Vitacost grape seed extracts.
• More support for grape seed extract’s health benefits - Nutra USA, 3/21/06
• Red Wine Ingredient May Delay Aging - WebMD, 2/10/06 - "Researchers found adding resveratrol, an organic compound found in grapes and particularly in red wine, to the daily diet of short-lived fish prolonged their lifespan and delayed the onset of age-related memory and other problems" - See iHerb or Vitacost resveratrol products.
• Natural Compound Prolongs Lifespan And Delays Onset Of Aging-related Traits In A Short-lived Vertebrate - Science Daily, 2/7/06 - "The researchers added resveratrol to daily fish food and found that this treatment increased longevity and also retarded the onset of aging-related decays in memory and muscular performance" - See iHerb or Vitacost resveratrol products.
• Pycnogenol reduces osteoarthritis pain, study - Nutra USA, 2/6/06 - "300 mg pine bark extract supplements ... Thirty minutes after taking the supplement, the mean inhibition of COX-1 and COX-2 was 22.5 and 15 per cent"
• Compound In Wine Reduces Levels Of Alzheimer's Disease-causing Peptides - Science Daily, 11/4/05 - "resveratrol, a compound found in grapes and red wine, lowers the levels of the amyloid-beta peptides which cause the telltale senile plaques of Alzheimer's disease ... Resveratrol in grapes may never reach the concentrations required to obtain the effect observed in our studies"
• Pine Bark Extract May Prevent Leg Clots - WebMD, 8/12/05 - "After the flight those not treated with Pycnogenol had almost double the ankle-swelling score of those who received Pycnogenol"
• Broad-Spectrum Effects of Grape Seed Extract - Life Extension Magazine, 7/05
• Grapeseed extract may stop arteries from hardening - Nutra USA, 6/23/05 - "grapeseed extract stopped cholesterol from building up in the arteries of guinea pigs, which in turn leads to the thickening and hardening of the vessels and the resulting condition, atherosclerosis"
• Resveratrol could prevent ‘flu epidemics - Nutra USA, 5/24/05
• Grape juice may lower BP by relaxing arteries - Nutra USA, 4/5/05
• O Christmas Tree: Your Bark May Fight Arthritis - Science Daily, 12/28/04
• Red Wine Lovers, Take Heart: More Evidence Points To The Drink's Cardiac Health Benefits - Science Daily, 12/10/04 - "a well-known antioxidant found in red wine, called resveratrol, may benefit heart tissue by limiting the effects of a condition called cardiac fibrosis"
• Red Wine Mist? Resveratrol Shows Potential Effects Against COPD, Asthma, Arthritis - Science Daily, 11/1/04 - "their research group had "looked at the over-the-counter" versions of resveratrol and found that "it's not very pure and probably wouldn't be worth taking." The major problem is bioavailability. The compound dissolves only in certain solvents, including alcohol"
• Daily Glass of Red Wine May Cut Risk of Developing Prostate Cancer - Doctor's Guide, 9/23/04 - "men who consumed four or more glasses of red wine per week reduced their risk of prostate cancer by 50 percent ... That compound, Stanford and colleagues believe, may be an antioxidant called resveratrol, which is abundant in the skins of red grapes but much less so in the skins of white grapes"
• Red Wine Protects Prostate - WebMD, 9/23/04 - "red wine drinkers who had between four and seven 4 ounce glasses of red wine per week had a 48% lower risk of prostate cancer"
• Grapes May Cut Cholesterol and Blood Fats - WebMD, 8/27/04
• Resveratrol linked to longer life - Nutra USA, 7/19/04 - "resveratrol activated proteins called sirtuins in fruitflies and worms, extending their lifespan without reducing fertility"
• Study Identifies Genetics Of Fat Metabolism, Red Wine Link - Science Daily, 7/9/04 - "When cells were exposed to resveratrol, our studies showed a pretty dramatic reduction in the conversion to fat cells and a lesser but still significant increase in the mobilization of existing fat, or the rate at which the cells metabolized stored fat" - See iHerb or Vitacost resveratrol products.
• Scientists question power of resveratrol supplements - Nutra USA, 4/22/04
• Cancer Claims for Red Wine Supplement Suspect - WebMD, 4/21/04 - "resveratrol, an antioxidant found in grape skins, wine, and peanuts, barely enters the human bloodstream when taken by mouth"
• Weight loss with grape extract - Nutra USA, 4/5/04
• Resveratrol, Powerful Protection Against Prostate Cancer - Life Extension Magazine, 4/04 - "Resveratrol works through more than a dozen different anticancer mechanisms and selectively targets cancer cells. This single supplement modulates hormones, has several mechanisms that stop cancer cells from multiplying, and even has the ability to destroy cancer cells"
• Pycnogenol for diabetes control - Nutra USA, 3/22/04 - "the patients were able to significantly lower their glucose levels when they supplemented with 50-200 mg of the supplement ... Studies have found Pycnogenol reduces high blood pressure, platelet aggregation, LDL (bad)-cholesterol and enhances circulation" - See iHerb or Vitacost Pycnogenol products.
• Antioxidant May Help Lower Blood Pressure - WebMD, 2/20/04 - "people with high blood pressure who took the supplement, called Pycnogenol, were able to lower their daily dose of blood pressure-lowering medications by more than 30% ... researchers looked at the effects of daily supplementation with 100 milligrams of Pycnogenol" - Some claim that grape seed extract is identical to Pycnogenol without the patent mark-up.  See iHerb or Vitacost grape seed extracts.
• Pycnogenol reduces need for hypertension drugs - Nutra USA, 2/19/04 - "supplementation with 100mg Pycnogenol over a period of 12 weeks helped to reduce patients’ dose of the calcium antagonist nifedipine in a statistically significant manner" - Some claim that grape seed extract is identical to Pycnogenol without the patent mark-up.
• Recent Vintage, No Bouquet - Time Magazine, 2/16/04 - "Packed into each Longevinex capsule is an active ingredient roughly equivalent to between 5 and 15 glasses of red wine or unfermented grape juice. The key compound is an antioxidant called resveratrol, which has been shown to play a role in longevity — at least for one-cell organisms"
• Fruits Offer Powerful Protection From Skin Cancer - Intelihealth, 10/30/03 - "Resveratrol significantly inhibited UVB-mediated increases in skin thickness and edema; epidermal cyclooxygenase (COX-2); ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) enzyme and protein levels; and protein levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), all of which are established markers of tumor promotion. Resveratrol also further stimulated a UVB-mediated increase in p53 protein levels and was found to inhibit UVB exposure-mediated increases in cell cycle promoting signals including the activation of cell division"
• Red Wine Ingredient May Fight COPD - WebMD, 10/27/03 - "resveratrol, a compound found in the skins of red fruits such as grapes, may slow down the inflammatory process involved in the lung disease COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)"
• “Grape Expectations”: Lengthen Lifetime with Red Wine? - Physician's Weekly, 9/15/03 - "Resveratrol, a molecule that exists naturally in grapes and red wine, was shown to extend the life span of yeast cells (polyphenols) by up to 80%. The researchers plan to examine resveratrol's effect in multi-cellular organisms such as worms, fruit flies, and eventually humans"
• New Healthy Ingredient Found in Red Wine - WebMD, 9/9/03 - "red wines are a significant source of saponins, which are believed to promote heart health by binding to cholesterol and preventing the absorption of cholesterol in the blood. The plant compounds are also thought to play a role in inflammation, which could have beneficial effects in reducing heart disease and cancer risks ... Of the wines tested, red zinfandel had the highest saponin levels"
• Red Wine Counteracts Cigarette Smoking - WebMD, 9/4/03 - "Drinking two glasses of red wine for every cigarette smoked is not a wise idea ... However, red wine contains antioxidants -- phenols -- so powerful that they can counteract something so harmful as smoking. That's his message" - See iHerb or Vitacost grape seed extracts.
• Drinking Red Wine May Slow Aging - WebMD, 8/25/03 - "resveratrol mimics calorie restriction in yeast -- activating enzymes that slow aging, increasing the stability of DNA, hence extending lifespan by as much as 70% ... Researchers now hope to eventually test how resveratrol works in other subjects, including humans" - See iHerb or Vitacost resveratrol products.
• Grape Seed Extract May Be A Useful Supplement To Blunt Hypertension In Postmenopausal Women - Intelihealth, 4/10/03 - "a diet moderately high in grape seed extract can blunt salt (sodium chloride)-sensitive hypertension to about the same extent as treatment with either plant estrogens or 17ß-estradiol. This suggests that mechanisms other than the estrogen receptor activation actually provides the beneficial effects of estrogen therapy and that grape seed extract may be a useful supplement to blunt hypertension and other cardiovascular symptoms in postmenopausal women" - See iHerb or Vitacost grape seed extract products.
• Pycnogenol® Effective for Vein Disorder - New Hope Natural Media, 10/24/02
• Pycnogenol Helps Hypertension - Natural Foods Merchandiser, 8/02 - "researchers gave 200 mg Pycnogenol to 11 mildly hypertensive patients (average age 50 years) for eight weeks. Patients were in Stage 1 hypertension—a systolic blood pressure range of 140­159 mmHg, and/or diastolic blood pressure range of 90 to 99 mmHg ... Pycnogenol reduced the systolic blood pressure to 134 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure to 94 mmHg in study participants ... Our research demonstrates Pycnogenol's ability to elevate the production of nitric oxide in the vessel walls to reduce blood pressure and help decrease hypertensive morbidity and mortality" - See iHerb and Vitacost grape seed extract/Pycnogenol products.  Note:  Pycnogenol is a patented product from pine bark.  Grape seed extract is the same compound without the patent markup.
• The Lungs Favor White Wine - WebMD, 5/20/02 - "those studies have shown that a daily dose of 1 to 3 glasses of red wine can improve cardiovascular health ... We found that white wine intake was strongly associated with better [lung] function ... One glass of wine per day equaled a 1.5% higher lung function, adding one or two more years to the person's lifetime; 3 glasses a day improved lung capacity by 3% ... He speculates that white wine drinkers have higher levels of vitamin antioxidants in their blood" - Also see flavonoids.
• Pycnogenol Helps Hypertension - Nutrition Science News, Spring '02 - "A new study conducted at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center in Tucson shows that pycnogenol, an extract of French maritime pine bark (Pinus maritima) may lower blood pressure in mildly hypertensive patients"
• Pycnogenol - Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals, 3/02 - "Subjects taking pycnogenol experienced a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure, although there was no statistical significance in diastolic blood pressure when compared to placebo"
• The Wizard is Oz - Life Extension Magazine, 11/01 - "Best-selling author and nutritional guru to the rich and famous, Oz Garcia is singing the praises of the Life Extension Foundation and its products in his newest book, The Healthy High Tech Body, published in September 2001 ... Supplements at the top of Garcia's list of recommendations ... DHA ... NADH ... Alpah Lipoic Acid ... Acetyl-L-Carnitine ... An expanded list of his recommendations includes lycopene, gamma tocopherol, vinpocetine, SAMe, folic acid, carnosine, glutathione, DMAE, Huperzine A, probiotics, MSM, secretagogues, arginine pyroglutamate, IP-6, bioflavonoid formulas and grape skin/seed extracts"
• Wine, Women, and Stroke, A Little of the Grape May Lower Stroke Risk in Young Women - WebMD, 1/4/01
• Proanthocyanidin Power - Nutrition Science News, 6/00 - "Grape seeds can have 7 to 15 percent more OPCs than pine bark and can be more potent as well as more economical."
• Blueberries: New Thrills for Those Over the Hill - National Institute of Health, 9/15/99
• Red wine substitute tough pill to swallow - CNN, 8/27/99
• Alternative therapies gain ground among allergy sufferers - CNN, 4/16/99
• Acetaminophen-Induced Liver Damage May Be Thwarted By Grape Seed Extract - Doctor's Guide, 4/13/98
• Study, Antioxidant More Potent than C, E and Beta-Carotene - Doctor's Guide, 4/8/97
• Study: Grapes inhibit cancer growth - CNN, 1/10/97
• The Promise of Pycnogenol - Body Talk Magazine, Spring '96

Abstracts:

• Regulation of Vascular Endothelial Function by Procyanidin-Rich Foods and Beverages (dagger) - J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Jan 28 - "Evaluation of the relative effects of extracts of cranberry juice compared to apple, cocoa, red wine, and green tea showed inhibition of ET-1 synthesis was dependent primarily on their oligomeric procyanidin content. Procyanidin-rich extracts of cranberry juice triggered morphological changes in endothelial cells with reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton and increased immunostaining for phosphotyrosine residues ... procyanidin tetramer, pentamer, hexamer, and heptamer produced concentration-dependent decreases with IC(50) values of 5.4, 1.6, 0.9, and 0.7 muM, respectively. Levels of ET-1 mRNA showed a similar pattern of decreases, which were inversely correlated with increased expression of Kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2), a key endothelial transcription factor with a broad range of antiatherosclerotic actions including suppression of ET-1 synthesis" - See Jarrow Formulas, Cran Clearance, 680 mg, 100 Capsules at iHerband OPC + 95 products at iHerb.
• Pycnogenol((R)) Improves Microcirculation, Retinal Edema and Visual Acuity in Early Diabetic Retinopathy - J Ocul Pharmacol Ther. 2009 Nov 16 - "Results: The major positive observation of this study is the visual improvement, which was subjectively perceived by 18 out of 24 patients in the Pycnogenol group. Testing of visual acuity using the Snellen chart showed a significant improvement from baseline 14/20 to 17/20 already, after 2 months treatment, whereas no change was found in the control group. Conclusions: Pycnogenol taken at this early stage of retinopathy may enhance retinal blood circulation accompanied by regression of edema, which favorably improves vision of patients"
• Oligomeric proanthocyanidins improve memory and enhance phosphorylation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 in senescence-accelerated mouse prone/8 - Br J Nutr. 2009 Oct 13:1-11 - "This indicates that oligomers result in an increase in the densities of axons, dendrites and synapses. To investigate the protective mechanisms of oligomers against brain dysfunction with ageing, we carried out a receptor tyrosine kinase phosphorylation antibody array, and clarified that the administration of oligomers led to an increase in the phosphorylation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-2, suggesting the neuroprotective role of oligomers. The phosphorylation of VEGFR-2 was more greatly increased in the hypothalamus and choroid plexus than in other brain regions of SAMP8. Memory in oligomer-treated mice was impaired by SU1498, a VEGFR-2-specific antagonist. Elucidating the relationship between memory impairment with ageing and VEGFR-2 signalling may provide new suggestions for protection against memory deficit in the ageing brain" - See OPC + 95 products at iHerb.
• Effects of grape seed extract in Type 2 diabetic subjects at high cardiovascular risk: a double blind randomized placebo controlled trial examining metabolic markers, vascular tone, inflammation, oxidative stress and insulin sensitivity - Diabet Med. 2009 May;26(5):526-31 - "GSE significantly improved markers of inflammation and glycaemia and a sole marker of oxidative stress in obese Type 2 diabetic subjects at high risk of cardiovascular events over a 4-week period, which suggests it may have a therapeutic role in decreasing cardiovascular risk"
• Chardonnay grape seed procyanidin extract supplementation prevents high-fat diet-induced obesity in hamsters by improving adipokine imbalance and oxidative stress markers - Mol Nutr Food Res. 2008 Nov 26 - "GSE prevented in part these effects, reducing insulinemia and leptinemia by 16.5 and 45%, respectively, whereas adiponectin level increased by 61% compared with obese controls. GSE lowered glycemia and HOMA-IR and strongly prevented cardiac production of superoxide by 74% and NAD(P)H oxidase expression by 30%. This is the first time that chronic consumption of grape phenolics is shown to reduce obesity development and related metabolic pathways including adipokine secretion and oxidative stress" - See OPC + 95 products at iHerb.
• Grape seed extract induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human colon carcinoma cells - Nutr Cancer. 2008;60 Suppl 1:2-11 - "control colorectal cancer (CRC) ... Grape seed extract (GSE) ... Our results show that irrespective of source, GSE strongly inhibits LoVo, HT29, and SW480 cell growth, with a G1 arrest in LoVo and HT29 cells but an S and/or G2/M arrest in SW480 cell cycle progression. GSE also induced Cip/p21 levels in all 3 cell lines. Furthermore, an induction of apoptosis was observed in all 3 cell lines by GSE. Taken together, our findings suggest that GSE could be an effective CAM agent against CRC possibly due to its strong growth inhibitory and apoptosis-inducing effects"
• Effects of grape seed-derived polyphenols on amyloid beta -protein self-assembly and cytotoxicity - J Biol Chem. 2008 Sep 24 - "Alzheimer's disease (AD) ... studies showed that a commercially-available grape seed polyphenolic extract, MegaNatural-AZ (MN), significantly attenuated AD-type cognitive deterioration and reduced cerebral amyloid deposition"
• Dietary flavonoid intake and risk of cancer in postmenopausal women: The Iowa Women's Health Study - Int J Cancer. 2008 May 19 - "After multivariable adjustment, lung cancer incidence was inversely associated with intakes of flavanones (HR = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.53-0.86, all results highest vs. lowest quintile) and proanthocyanidins (HR = 0.75; 95% CI: 0.57-0.97). Among current and past smokers, those with intakes in the highest quintile for flavanones (HR = 0.66; 95% CI: 0.50-0.86), and proanthocyanidins (HR = 0.66; 95% CI; 0.49-0.89) had significantly lower lung cancer incidence than those in the lowest quintile. Similar associations were not seen in never smokers. Isoflavone intake was inversely associated with overall cancer incidence (HR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.86-1.00). This study provides further support for a beneficial effect of flavonoid intake on lung cancer risk, especially among current and past smokers"
• Multi-targeted prevention and therapy of cancer by proanthocyanidins - Cancer Lett. 2008 May 3 - "A wide variety of botanicals, mostly dietary flavonoids or polyphenolic substances, have been reported to possess substantial anti-carcinogenic and antimutagenic activities because of their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Proanthocyanidins are considered as one of them, and are abundantly available in various parts of the plants, such as fruits, berries, bark and seeds. Their modes of action were evaluated through a number of in vitro and in vivo studies which showed their potential role as anti-carcinogenic agent. We summarize and highlight the latest developments on anti-carcinogenic activities of proanthocyanidins from different sources, specifically from grape seeds, and their molecular targets, such as NF-kappaB, mitogen-activated protein kinases, PI3K/Akt, caspases, cytokines, angiogenesis and cell cycle regulatory proteins and other check points, etc. Although the bioavailability and metabolism data on proanthocyanidins is still largely unavailable, certain reports indicate that at least monomers and smaller oligomeric procyanidins are absorbed in the gut. The modulation of various molecular targets by proanthocyanidins in vitro and in vivo tumor models suggests their importance, contribution and mechanism of action to the prevention of cancers of different organs" - See Grape seed products at iHerb and Pine Bark/Pycnogenol products at iHerb.  Some say the grape seed extract if the same as Pycnogenol without the patent markup.
• Treatment of osteoarthritis with Pycnogenol((R)). The SVOS (San Valentino osteo-arthrosis study). evaluation of signs, symptoms, physical performance and vascular aspects - Phytother Res. 2008 Apr;22(4):518-23 - "The global WOMAC score decreased by 56% (p < 0.05) in the treatment group versus 9.6% in the placebo group. Walking distance in the treadmill test was prolonged from 68 m at the start to 198 m after 3 months treatment (p < 0.05), under placebo, from 65 m to 88 m (NS). The use of drugs decreased by 58% in the treatment group (p < 0.05) versus 1% under placebo. Gastrointestinal complications decreased by 63% in the treatment group, but only 3% under placebo. Overall, treatment costs were reduced significantly compared with placebo ... After 3 months edema decreased in 79% of Pycnogenol patients (p < 0.05) vs 1% in controls" - See Pine Bark/Pycnogenol products at iHerb.
• Pycnogenol((R)), French maritime pine bark extract, augments endothelium-dependent vasodilation in humans - Hypertens Res. 2007 Sep;30(9):775-80 - "These findings suggest that Pycnogenol((R)) augments endothelium-dependent vasodilation by increasing in NO production. Pycnogenol((R)) would be useful for treating various diseases whose pathogeneses involve endothelial dysfunction"
• Resveratrol inhibits expression and binding activity of the monocyte chemotactic protein-1 receptor, CCR2, on THP-1 monocytes - Atherosclerosis. 2007 May 11 - "Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 and its receptor, CCR2, play a key role in atherosclerosis ... These inhibitory effects of resveratrol on chemokine receptor binding and expression may contribute, in part, to its cardiovascular protective activity in vivo"
• Flavonoid-rich grapeseed extracts: a new approach in high cardiovascular risk patients? - Int J Clin Pract. 2006 Nov;60(11):1484-92 - "Flavonoids have been a major focus of attention since the days of the French paradox and the presence of high quantity of flavonoids in grapeseed extracts has prompted research looking at its effects on novel markers of vascular risk"
• Treatment of ADHD with French maritime pine bark extract, Pycnogenol - Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2006 Sep;15(6):329-35 - "1-month Pycnogenol administration caused a significant reduction of hyperactivity, improves attention and visual-motoric coordination and concentration of children with ADHD. In the placebo group no positive effects were found. One month after termination of Pycnogenol administration a relapse of symptoms was noted. Our results point to an option to use Pycnogenol as a natural supplement to relieve ADHD symptoms of children"
• Quality Assessment of Commercial Dietary Antioxidant Products From Vitis vinifera L. Grape Seeds - Nutr Cancer. 2005;53(2):244-54 - "oxygen radical absorbance capacity, ORAC ... The ORAC value of the different brands of commercial products studied (n = 16) varied from 2.71 to 26.4 mumol Trolox equivalents/mg ( asymptotically equal to10-fold difference)"
• The combination of vitamin C and grape-seed polyphenols increases blood pressure: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial - J Hypertens. 2005 Feb;23(2):427-434 - "Vitamin C alone reduced systolic BP versus placebo ... However, treatment with the combination of vitamin C and polyphenols increased systolic BP (4.8 +/- 0.9 mmHg versus placebo ... and diastolic BP (2.7 +/- 0.6 mmHg, P < 0.0001 versus placebo"
• The effect of grape-seed extract on 24 h energy intake in humans - Eur J Clin Nutr. 2004 Apr;58(4):667-73 - "These findings suggest that grape seed could be effective in reducing 24 h EI [energy intake] in normal to overweight dietary unrestrained subjects, and could, therefore, play a significant role in body-weight management"
• The cancer preventative agent resveratrol is converted to the anticancer agent piceatannol by the cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP1B1 - Br J Cancer 2002 Mar 4;86(5):774-8 - "This observation provides a novel explanation for the cancer preventative properties of resveratrol. It demonstrates that a natural dietary cancer preventative agent can be converted to a compound with known anticancer activity by an enzyme that is found in human tumours"

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