Pine Bark Extract has been shown to improve ADHD, decision-making, concentration, focus, memory and mood Maritime Pine (pinus pinaster) Pine Bark Extract is a standardized extract of French maritime pine bark. This pine tree (Pinus pinaster) is native to the Mediterranean region.

The extract of maritime pine bark called Pycnogenol contains 65 – 75% proanthocyanidins (procyanidins). [i]

Professor Jacques Masquelier of the University of Bordeaux, France was the first to study oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) . The professor got his inspiration from reading about Jacques Cartier’s 1535 expedition up the St. Lawrence River.

Cartier’s crew were trapped in the ice and dying of scurvy. The crew survived after native Iroquois gave them spruce beer brewed from the bark and needles of pines growing by the river.

Prof. Masquelier speculated pine extracts in the brew contained vitamin C and flavonoids that helped the crew’s recovery. [ii] In 1948, the professor isolated the first OPCs from peanut skins. And patented his extraction method of isolating OPCs from pine bark in 1951.

In 1965, research was begun by Charles Haimoff, the founder of Horphag Research in Berlin. He developed a water-soluble extract of the same French maritime pine tree. Calling his extract Pycnogenol ® .

Throughout this review I may refer to Pine Bark Extract as Pycnogenol . Assume I’m talking about the same extract.

As a nootropic , Pine Bark Extract is used primarily to increase cerebral blood flow .

Other uses include using Pine Bark Extract for the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, ADHD , high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, chronic pain and erectile dysfunction (ED).On a molecular level, Pine Bark Extract helps with oxidative stress, membrane damage, DNA damage, inflammation and glycation .Here we’ll investigate Pine Bark Extract’s value as a nootropic to optimize cognition .Pine Bark Extract helps: Neurotransmitters . Pine Bark Extract helps modulate the activity of catecholamines dopamine , norepinephrine , and epinephrine . And an increase in the GSH-disulphide reductase (GSSG-R) ratio. Neurotransmitter problems which contribute to hyperactivity in ADHD. [iii] Cerebral Circulation . Pine Bark Extract helps boost blood flow to and within your brain. By increasing nitric oxide […]

Pine Bark Extract