Pycnogenol® Supplementation Prevents Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections/Inflammation and Interstitial Cystitis

Abstract

This open pilot registry study aimed to evaluate and compare the prophylactic effects of Pycnogenol® or cranberry extract in subjects with previous, recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI) or interstitial cystitis (IC). Methods. Inclusion criteria were recurrent UTI or IC. One subject group was supplemented with 150 mg/day Pycnogenol®, another with 400 mg/day cranberry extract, and a group served as a control in a 2-month open follow-up. Results. 64 subjects with recurrent UTI/IC completed the study. The 3 groups of subjects were comparable at baseline. All subjects had significant symptoms (minor pain, stranguria, repeated need for urination, and lower, anterior abdominal pain) at inclusion. In the course of the study, the subjects reported no tolerability problems or side effects. The incidence of UTI symptoms, in comparison with the period before inclusion in the standard management (SM) group, decreased significantly; there was a more pronounced decrease in the rate of recurrent infections in the Pycnogenol® group ( p < 0.05 ). The improvement in patients supplemented with Pycnogenol® was significantly superior to the effects of cranberry. At the end of the study, all subjects in the Pycnogenol® group were infection-free ( p < 0.05 vs. cranberry). Significantly, more subjects were completely symptom-free after 2 months of management with Pycnogenol® (20/22) than with SM (18/22) and cranberry (16/20). Conclusions. This pilot registry suggests that 60 days of Pycnogenol® supplementation possibly decrease the occurrence of UTIs and IC without side effects and with an efficacy superior to cranberry.

Recurrent infections drive persistent bladder dysfunction and pain via sensory nerve sprouting and mast cell activity

“…Many patients with rUTI experience continuation of symptoms including pain (pelvic sensitivity) and void dysfunction even after the infection has subsided ( 37 – 40 ). Because both pain and micturition signals are transmitted via the peripheral nervous system, we focused our initial investigations on bladder sensory nerves.…”

Lower Urinary Tract Inflammation and Infection: Key Microbiological and Immunological Aspects

“…For example, patients with recurrent UTIs have defects in the expression of proteins involved in urothelial cell proliferation, cytoskeleton, and barrier function, which could also contribute to IC/BPS [122]. This is further supported by evidence which suggests that both recurrent UTIs and IC/BPS can benefit from similar treatments, with both conditions responding favorably to antioxidative and anti-inflammatory therapies (e.g., cranberry and pine bark extracts) [123]. More longitudinal studies are needed to fully elucidate this relationship.…”

Therapeutic Efficacy of Flavonoids in Allergies: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

“…Nonetheless, the use of Pycnogenol® (100 mg/day), for 3 to 8 weeks prior to the birch pollen season, did not lead to significant improvement in nasal and ocular symptoms [ 31 ]. French maritime pine bark extract supplementation has already been studied under other pathophysiological conditions, as traumatic brain injury [ 45 ], urinary tract infections [ 46 ], osteoarthritis [ 47 ], among others [ 48 ] with different doses and duration, besides impact on clinical outcomes. The methodological limitations and imprecision lead to a low evidence level for this outcome, as can be seen in Table 2 .…”