Effect of French maritime pine bark extract on endometriosis as compared with leuprorelin acetate.

OBJECTIVE

To clarify the effect of Pycnogenol (Horphag Research, Geneva, Switzerland), French maritime pine bark extract, on endometriosis.

METHODS

Fifty-eight women were included in this study. They were operated on conservatively for endometriosis and surgically diagnosed with the condition. All patients were followed at 4, 12, 24 and 48 weeks after starting treatment to check for endometriosis signs and symptoms, including changes in CA-125 and estrogen levels (E2). Thirty-two patients in the Pycnogenol treatment group took 60 mg Pycnogenol orally a day for 48 weeks. The 26 patients who received gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (Gn-RHa) were treated in the standard way.

RESULTS

Treatment with Pycnogenol slowly but steadily reduced the symptom scores. Treatment with Gn-RHa reduced the scores more efficiently; however, 24 weeks after the end of treatment, the scores suggested a recurrence of signs. No influence of treatment on menstrual cycles or E2 was observed in the Pycnogenol group. CA-125 decreased in both treatment groups. Patients with smaller endometriomas responded better to treatment as compared to patients with larger endometriomas. In the Gn-RHa group, the lowering of CA-125 concentrations was far more pronounced; however, a clear rebound effect was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Pycnogenol is a therapeutic alternative to Gn-RHa in the treatment of endometriosis.