Pycnogenol® helps to prevent Alzheimer's
07/07/2000
A new study by Dr. Benjamin Lau and his colleagues of the Loma Linda University, California, has revealed that an extract of French maritime pine bark, Pycnogenol®, assists in preventing damage caused by the key protein involved in development of Alzheimer's disease: amyloid beta. Brains of Alzheimer patients typically show deposits of amyloid beta, known to generate oxidative stress causing neuronal loss and vascular damage.
Dr. Lau has discovered that Pycnogenol®, one of the most powerful natural antioxidants currently known, helps to prevent vascular damage in the brain by amyloid beta. Blood vessel cells resisted the toxicity of amyloid beta when Pycnogenol® was present. This adds further evidence for a role for Pycnogenol® to prevent ageing related deterioration of the brain.
Neuronal cells are also protected from amyloid beta-induced damage by Pycnogenol®. This has been shown by Dr. Dave Schubert of the Salk Institute (La Jolla, California).
The positive influence of Pycnogenol® on brain function has been demonstrated by Dr. Lau. He retarded age-related deterioration of memory retention and learning ability of old mice by supplementing them with Pycnogenol®. Older mice regularly fed with Pycnogenol® showed markedly improved memory and learning ability in comparison to their littermates without Pycnogenol®. Moreover, older mice treated with Pycnogenol® for two months retained memory levels almost equal to those of young mice. Other researchers who carried out related studies with an extract of Gingko biloba had to feed 10 to 20 times as much to mice.
These studies suggest that supplementation with the powerful antioxidant Pycnogenol®, exclusively available from Horphag Research, may assist retention of a fully able brain. Regular Pycnogenol® supplementation is also an investment for the future, as it may help to prevent the tragedy of Alzheimer's disease.
Download the study (70kb PDF-Document)
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