Pycnogenol® accelerates wound healing and reduces scar formation

Pyenogenol(R) was applied topically to experimental wounds inflicted on healthy rats by means of a branding iron. The wound-healing time was taken as the number of days required for 50% of the scabs to separate spontaneously from the animals. Application of a gel formulation containing 1% Pycnogenol(R) significantly shortened the wound healing time, by 1.6 days compared with the group treated with gel only (15.4 days). The application of 2% Pycnogenol(R) decreased the healing time by almost 3 days, while 5% Pycnogenol(R) further accelerated the wound-healing process. In parallel, Pycnogenol(R) gels reduced the diameter of the scars remaining following complete scab loss in a concentration-dependent manner. In conclusion, Pycnogenol(R) is a potent active ingredient for the treatment of minor injuries. Copyright (C) 2004 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.