The Epidemiologic Study in San Valentino

The efficacy of a 2-month treatment with oral colostrum in the prevention of flu episodes compared with antiinfluenza vaccination was evaluated. Groups included healthy subjects without prophylaxis and those receiving both vaccination and colostrum. After 3 months of follow-up, the number of days with flu was 3 times higher in the non-colostrum subjects. The colostrum group had 13 episodes versus 14 in the colostrum + vaccination group, 41 in the group without prophylaxis, and 57 in nontreated subjects. Part 2 of the study had a similar protocol with 65 very high-risk cardiovascular subjects, all of whom had prophylaxis. The incidence of complications and hospital admission was higher in the group that received only a vaccination compared with the colostrum groups. Colostrum, both in healthy subjects and high-risk cardiovascular patients, is at least 3 times more effective than vaccination to prevent flu and is very cost-effective

Control of edema in hypertensive subjects treated with calcium antagonist (nifedipine) or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors with Pycnogenol.

The presence of edema in different phases and stages of essential hypertension may be due to antihypertensive treatment. Some drugs may cause edema by inducing vasodilatation, increasing the capillary exchange surface and capillary filtration. Pycnogenol has an important anti-edema effect in diabetic microangiopathy and chronic venous insufficiency. This 8-week study evaluated capillary filtration in 2 comparable treatment groups with hypertension treated with a calcium antagonist (nifedipine) or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor to define its efficacy in preventing edema caused by antihypertensives. A significant decrease in filtration was observed in the Pycnogenol groups. Pycnogenol controls this type of edema, it helps to prevent and limit long-term damage in the microcirculation in hypertensive patients, and allows the dose of anti-hypertensive drugs to be reduced in most patients

Prevention of venous thrombosis and thrombophlebitis in long-haul flights with pycnogenol.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and superficial vein thrombosis (SVT) and its prophylaxis with an oral anti-edema and antithrombotic agent (Pycnogenol®, Horphag, Research Management SA, Geneva, Switzerland) in long-haul flights, in subjects at moderate to high-risk of DVT and SVT. The study pre-included 244 pre-selected subjects; 211 were included (33 were excluded for several reasons due to logistic problems) and 198 completed the study; 13 subjects were lost for follow-up at the end of the flight, all for non-medical problems (i.e., for difficult connections). All subjects were scanned within 90 minutes before the flight and within 2 hours after disembarking. Subjects were supplemented with 100 mg Pycnogenol® per capsule. Treatment subjects received two capsules between 2 and 3 hours before flights with 250 mL of water; two capsules were taken 6 hours later with 250 mL of water and one capsule the next day. The control group received comparable placebo at the same intervals. The flight duration was on average 8 hours and 15 minutes (SD 55 min) (range, 7.45-12.33). In the control group there were five thrombotic events (one DVT and four superficial thromboses) while only nonthrombotic, localized phlebitis was observed in the Pycnogenol®group (5.15% vs. no events; p<0.025). The ITT (intention to treat) analysis detects 13 failures in the control group (eight lost to follow up + five thrombotic events) of 105 subjects (12.4%) vs. five failures (4.7%; all lost, no thrombotic events) in the treatment group (p<0.025). No unwanted effects were observed. In conclusion, this study indicates that Pycnogenol® treatment was effective in decreasing the number of thrombotic events (DVT and SVT) in moderate-to-high risk subjects, during long-haul flights

Grape Seed Procyanidins in Pre- and Mild Hypertension: A Registry Study

The efficacy of a standardized grape seed procyanidins extract (GSPE, Enovita) to decrease blood pressure when associated with nondrug intervention (diet and lifestyle modifications) was investigated in a controlled registry study involving 119 healthy, pre- and mildly hypertensive subjects. Two dosages of Enovita were evaluated (150 and 300 mg/die), using blood pressure and heart rate as the primary endpoints and complementing these observations with a laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) investigation of the microcirculation state and an evaluation of the plasma oxidative status. After four months of treatment, a statistically significant higher, and dose-dependent, improvement in all endpoints was observed in the treatment groups compared to that of the control, with blood pressure normalizing in 93% of the higher dosage (300 mg) treatment group. Taken together, these observations suggest that GSPEs have beneficial cardiovascular effects that complement current intervention strategies in the hypertension area. The effect on blood pressure adds to the beneficial effects of GSPEs on the cardiovascular disease (CVD) phenotype associated with the oxidation of membrane lipids (endothelial dysfunction, formation of oxidized LDL, and activation of phagocytic cells)

Efficacy and safety of Meriva\uae, a curcumin-phosphatidylcholine complex, during extended administration in osteoarthritis patients

In a previous three-month study of Meriva, a proprietary curcumin-phosphatidylcholine phytosome complex, decreased joint pain and improvement in joint function were observed in 50 osteoarthritis (OA) patients. Since OA is a chronic condition requiring prolonged treatment, the long-term efficacy and safety of Meriva were investigated in a longer (eight months) study involving 100 OA patients. The clinical end points (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities [WOMAC] score, Karnofsky Performance Scale Index, and treadmill walking performance) were complemented by the evaluation of a series of inflammatory markers (interleukin [IL]-1beta, IL-6, soluble CD40 ligand [sCD40L], soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule (sVCAM)-1, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR]). This represents the most ambitious attempt, to date, to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of curcumin as an anti-inflammatory agent. Significant improvements of both the clinical and biochemical end points were observed for Meriva compared to the control group. This, coupled with an excellent tolerability, suggests that Meriva is worth considering for the long-term complementary management of osteoarthritis

Phytoproflex\uae: Supplementary management of osteoarthrosis: A supplement registry

BACKGROUND: Curcumin is a powerful anti-oxidant that can be used to treat inflammation and pain in chronic conditions such as osteoarthrosis (OA). Phytoproflex\uaeis characterized by an innovative delivery system that improves bioavailability of curcuminoids and could be useful in the management of OA. METHODS: This 4-week registry included 56 patients with knee OA treated according to the best standard management for symptomatic OA. On top of that, 24 patients used Phytoproflex\uaesupplement preparation (an extract containing boswellic acid 90%, curcumin 20% and valeric acid 0.8%). Patients' control of symptoms and functional capacity were evaluated through the Karnofsky Scale and standardized treadmill test, together with measurement of oxidative stress levels and use of rescue medication. RESULTS: No problems of tolerability or safety were reported among subjects using the supplement. After 4 weeks, patients treated with the supplement reported a significant decrease in pain (P&lt;0.05), and a significant improvement in the fitness scale (P&lt;0.05), indicating that subjects were able to perform normal daily tasks. Less subjects in the supplement group had to use rescue medication (P&lt;0.05), while oxidative stress levels, which were high at inclusion, significantly decreased in both groups (P&lt;0.05). Moreover, the variation in pain-free walking distance and the Karnofsky Scale were significantly more improved (P&lt;0.05) in patients taking the supplement compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary registry study indicates that Phytoproflex\uaecan be safely used as an effective, supplementary management in most OA patients