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Grape seeds are the primary commercial source of a group of antioxidant, collagen-protective pigments called oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs or PCO), which are concentrated in pine bark and grapes. OPCs and related phenolic flavonols are also found in berries, blackcurrant, green tea, black tea, and many other plants.

Traditional use: There are no traditional medicinal uses of OPCs, except to the extent that berries, grapes, and other food sources have been perceived as generally healthful.

Modern perspective: For more than 50 years, European biochemists have been conducting research into OPCs, which are also generically termed pycnogenol. (When capitalized, the term Pycnogenol refers to a patented pine bark extract.) Supplemental OPCs are used in Europe to treat weak blood capillaries (chronic venous insufficiency), post-surgical edema (swelling), cirrhosis, varicose veins and diabetic retinopathy.

OPCs restore the antioxidant function of vitamin C molecules worn out by their free radical scavenging activities. In one experiment, OPCs boosted vitamin C activity by 1,000%. Test tube studies indicate that OPCs are 18 times more effective than vitamin C, and 50 times more potent than Vitamin E, for neutralizing free oxygen radicals.

OPCs’ anti-inflammatory properties have been proved in laboratory studies on test animals and in human clinical trials involving sports injuries and post-surgical recovery. Given their mode of anti-inflammatory action and affinity for collagen, OPCs may be useful in reducing rheumatic inflammations.

OPCs promote healthy cartilage by normalizing "collagen cross-linkage." Collagen consists of twin, ladder-like spirals of proteins connected by step-like cross links. In osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, excess cross-linkage is caused by internal production of excess free radicals, and release of excess amounts of collagenase enzyme.

Daily requirement: Flavonols, including grape seed OPCs and green tea catechins, are not classified as essential nutrients, since their absence does not produce a deficiency state. However, OPCs may have many health benefits, and anyone not eating a wide variety of plants will not derive these benefits.

Medically, OPCs are usually prescribed at a dosage level of 300 mg per day, and a reasonable preventive health regimen would range from 50 to 100 mg per day.

Types of products: Currently, pine bark extracts rich in OPCs (i.e., Pycnogenol) dominate the U.S. market. But grape skin/seed extracts contain equivalent amounts, including a unique antioxidant (B2-3’-o-gallate) that makes them a more desirable source of OPCs. Most research has been done on grape skin/seed extract, and it is less expensive.

OPCs are reported to produce better antioxidant effects in body tissues when packaged in a patented chemical envelope called a phytosome. OPC phytosomes may be twice as effective as straight OPC extract, but this enhanced efficiency per milligram must be weighed against the cost differential.

Safety: Flavonols, including proanthocyanidins, are free of side effects. As water-soluble nutrients, unusable excess intake is eliminated through urination.

 
Abstract:
Authors: Bagchi D et al.
Title: Protective effects of grape seed proanthocyanidins and selected antioxidants against TPA-induced hepatic and brain lipid peroxidation and DNA fragmentation, and peritoneal macrophage activation in mice.
Source: Gen Pharmacol 1998 May;30(5):771-6.

Treatment of mice with GSPE (100 mg/kg), vitamin C, VES and beta-carotene decreased TPA-induced production of reactive oxygen species, as evidenced by decreases in the chemiluminescence response in peritoneal macrophages by approximately 70%, 18%, 47% and 16%, respectively, and cytochrome c reduction by approximately 65%, 15%, 37% and 19%, respectively, compared with controls. 3. GSPE, vitamin C, VES and beta-carotene decreased TPA-induced DNA fragmentation by approximately 47%, 10%, 30% and 11%, respectively, in the hepatic tissues, and 50%, 14%, 31% and 11%, respectively, in the brain tissues, at the doses that were used. Similar results were observed with respect to lipid peroxidation in hepatic mitochondria and microsomes and in brain homogenates. 4. GSPE exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition of TPA-induced lipid peroxidation and DNA fragmentation in liver and brain, as well as a dose-dependent inhibition of TPA- induced reactive oxygen species production in peritoneal macrophages. 5. GSPE and other antioxidants provided significant protection against TPA-induced oxidative damage, with GSPE providing better protection than did other antioxidants at the doses that were employed.

References:

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