Pycnogenol (200 mg) inhibits NF-kappaB, MMP-9 in humans

Pycnogenol (200 mg) inhibits NF-kappaB, MMP-9 in humans

It's really important to inhibit both NF-kappaB and MMP-9 in cancer. Chemo
tends to activate NF-kappaB and that activation makes the cancer cells more
resistant to chemo. This study showed that 200 mg per day of Pycnogenol
(available at any vitamin store) significantly inhibited NF-kappaB
activation and MMP-9 expression. It probably should be split into 3 doses
during the day so that the blood levels of Pycnogenol don't get depleted
(but I have no proof of this, it just sounds reasonable).

The whole paper can be read for free at Pubmed.
* w w w .ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16441890?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2
.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

J Inflamm (Lond). 2006 Jan 27;3:1. Links

Inhibition of NF-kappaB activation and MMP-9 secretion by plasma of human
volunteers after ingestion of maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol).

Grimm T, Chovanová Z, Muchová J, Sumegová K, Liptáková A, Duracková Z,
Högger P.
Institut für Pharmazie und Lebensmittelchemie, Bayerische
Julius-Maximilians-Universität, Würzburg, Germany.

French maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol) displays a variety of
anti-inflammatory effects in vivo. Aim of this study was to determine
whether human plasma after oral intake of Pycnogenol contains sufficient
concentrations of active principles to inhibit key mediators of
inflammation. Blood samples from seven healthy volunteers were obtained
before and after five days administration of 200 mg Pycnogenol per day.
Plasma samples statistically significantly inhibited matrix
metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) release from human monocytes and NF-kappaB
activation. Thus, we provide evidence that bioavailable active principles of
Pycnogenol exert anti-inflammatory effects by inhibition of proinflammatory
gene expression which is consistent with documented clinical observations.
We suggest that our ex vivo method is suitable to substantiate molecular
pharmacological mechanisms of complex plant extracts in a more focussed and
rational way compared to in vitro studies by taking into account the
processes of absorption and metabolism.