Pycnogenol (procyanidin extracted from Pinus maritima) has been shown to be a potent free radical scavenger and an antioxidant phytochemical. The effects of pycnogenol on immune and haemopoietic dysfunction in senescence-accelerated mice (SAM), as a murine model of accelerated ageing, were determined. SAMP8, a strain of senile-prone mice, exhibit learning and memory deficits, immunodeficiency and dysfunction of the haemopoietic system. Oral feeding with pycnogenol for 2 months significantly improved their T- and B-cell function. Pycnogenol also augmented the proliferative capacity of haemopoietic progenitors of bone marrow in SAMP8. These data suggest that pycnogenol may be useful for either retardation or restoration of parameters associated with ageing.

To estimate the valnemulin pharmacokinetic profile in a swine population and to assess a dosage regimen for increasing the likelihood of optimization. This study was, respectively, performed in 22 sows culled by p.o. administration and in 80 growing-finishing pigs by i.v. administration at a single dose of 10 mg/kg to develop a population pharmacokinetic model and Monte Carlo simulation. The relationships among the plasma concentration, dose, and time of valnemulin in pigs were illustrated as C(i,v) = X(0 )(8.4191 × 10(-4) × e(-0.2371t) + 1.2788 × 10(-5) × e(-0.0069t)) after i.v. and C(p.o) = X(0) (-8.4964 × 10(-4) × e(-0.5840t) + 8.4195 × e(-0.2371t) + 7.6869 × 10(-6) × e(-0.0069t)) after p.o. Monte Carlo simulation showed that T(>MIC) was more than 24 h when a single daily dosage at 13.5 mg/kg BW in pigs was administrated by p.o., and MIC was 0.031 mg/L. It was concluded that the current dosage regimen at 10-12 mg/kg BW led to valnemulin underexposure if the MIC was more than 0.031 mg/L and could increase the risk of treatment failure and/or drug resistance.