Central cardiovascular calcifications: supplementtion with Pycnogenol® and Centellicum®: variations in 12 months.

BACKGROUND: This 'concept' registry study evaluated the efficacy of Pycnogenol (R) and the combination Pycnogenol (R) and Centella Asiatica (Centellicum (R)) in controlling over 12 months the increasing number of arterial/cardiac calcifications in subjects with asymptomatic atherosclerosis. METHODS: The study included 3 groups of 30 males with asymptomatic coronary calcifications. Group one was followed with standard management (SM); group 2 used SM and Pycnogenol (R) (150 mg/day); group 3 used the combination Pycnogenol (R) (150 mg/day) + Centellicum (R) (450 mg/day). All subjects took cardioaspirin (Bayer, 100 mg/day). RESULTS: No dropouts, no clinical events were observed in 12 months. The 3 groups had comparable demographic and medical characteristics at baseline. No tolerability problems and no side effects from supplementation were reported. After 12 months, oxidative stress was significantly decreased (P<0.05) in both groups taking Pycnogenol (R). The evaluation of the number of calcifications >1 mm indicated a trend in controls using SM towards a progressive increase in calcifications. At 12 months the decrease in the number of calcifications with the combined supplements (Pycnogenol (R) and Centellicum (R)) (group 3) was -9.952% and thus significantly better that in the other two groups (P<0.05). Pycnogenol (R) alone was more effective than SM alone in controlling the variation in calcifications (P<0.05). Considering a 34.88% increase in SM subjects, the total absolute difference between SM (34.8%) and the decrease observed in group 3 (-9.95%) was 44.75% (P<0.02). This indicates that supplementation with the combined supplements blocks the increase in calcified areas and, possibly, in time may decrease the number of calcified spots. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that there is a significant activity of the complex Pycnogenol (R)+Centellicum (R) in reducing the progressive diffusion of central cardiovascular calcifications-associated with advanced plaques - in a relatively short period of time. Longer studies - focusing also on events - may better evaluate the efficacy of these standardized supplements combination on the evolution of atherosclerosis.