The double-blind, placebo-controlled study, published in the October issue of Clinical Applied Thrombosis/Hemostasis 10(4):373-7, supports this new application area for the well-established antioxidant supplement.
It has recently been combined with ginger in a new product targeting frequent flyers, Dr Surr's Zinopin, currently available on the UK market.
Zinopin is thought to be one of the first natural products marketed solely to reduce risk of this condition, the threat of which is growing as more and more people travel.
Deep vein thrombosis is caused by a blood clot that partially or completely blocks blood flow in the vein. This condition is frequently caused by a pooling of blood in the area, often due to immobility, like that experienced on long, cramped flights.
Observational studies have suggested that on long haul flights up to 10 per cent of passengers may be affected although the majority of thromboses occurring during travel remain symptomless as the developed clot spontaneously dissolves before it may affect blood flow.
However thrombosis may be fatal when the blood clot is dislodged and blocks the branches of arteries in the lungs (pulmonary embolism).
The new trial included 198 subjects who either supplemented with 200mg of Pycnogenol or a placebo 2-3 hours prior to a long-haul flight, 200mg six hours later in mid-flight and 100mg the day after flying. The flight lasted on average eight hours and 15 minutes.
Researchers concluded that Pycnogenol treatment was effective in protecting against thrombotic events (DVT and superficial vein thrombosis) in moderate to high risk subjects during long haul flights as compared to the placebo group that produced five thrombotic events.
"Travel-related DVT and SVT are preventable conditions. Pycnogenol is one of the most powerful natural antioxidants available today and has the ability to control the permeability of capillary walls, preventing edema, inhibiting platelet aggregation and ultimately reducing thrombotic events," said author Peter Rohdewald, from the Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of Muenster, Germany.