Company Description

Horphag Research (USA), Inc. is the exclusive North American supplier of Pycnogenol® (pic-noj-en-all) French maritime pine bark extract. Based in Hoboken, NJ, Horphag Research (USA) has the exclusive rights to market and sell Pycnogenol® and works with hundreds of companies to help them develop innovative and effective Pycnogenol® product formulas.

Horphag Research, Horphag Research (USA)’s parent company, is the exclusive worldwide supplier and originators of Pycnogenol®. The company mission remains deeply rooted in a commitment to scientific research surrounding high-quality nutritional ingredients and this is reflected in the quality of products offered to customers.

Horphag Research was founded in 1925 and is considered a pioneer of the dietary supplement and health food industry. In the 1960s, Horphag Research’s chairman, Charles Haimoff, standardized a unique substance; the water-soluble flavonoid extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree—Pycnogenol®.

Over the past 40 years, Horphag Research has invested millions of dollars in scientific research and today Pycnogenol® is one of the most evidence-based health ingredients in the industry with more than 340 scientific publications confirming its safety, non-toxicity and clinical efficacy.

Keeping in line with its commitment to science and innovation, comprehensive research and development programs continue to be carried out and new health applications for Pycnogenol® are explored every year.

Key Market Areas

Pycnogenol® is the brand name of a proprietary and patented antioxidant plant extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree. It is included in more than 700 dietary supplements, cosmetic products and functional foods and beverages worldwide.

Major Products

Pycnogenol® is a natural plant extract originating from the bark of the maritime pine that grows along the coast of southwest France and is found to contain a unique combination of procyanidins, bioflavonoids and organic acids, which offer extensive natural health benefits.

Pycnogenol® has four basic properties: it’s a powerful antioxidant, acts as a natural anti-inflammatory, helps bind to collagen and elastin in the skin and aids in the production of endothelial nitric oxide which helps to dilate blood vessels.

What’s New?

Pycnogenol® Found to Improve Fitness and Muscle Recovery

A recent study on Pycnogenol® found the patented extract to be effective in improving overall fitness performance levels for both recreational and high performance athletes. This study showed that those who supplemented with Pycnogenol® reported a boost in muscle performance, increased endurance and reduction in cramping by controlling oxidative stress.

Pycnogenol® Found to Resolve Endometriosis-Related Pain

A study on Pycnogenol® found that the natural supplement significantly minimizes pain and inflammation associated with endometriosis and may help eliminate dysmenorrhea when paired with oral contraceptives. This study confirms previous findings on women’s health and Pycnogenol®, including a 2007 study of 58 women that found Pycnogenol® alone to significantly reduce the symptoms of endometriosis by 33 percent without disruption to the menstrual cycle.

        Pycnogenol® Found to Improve Psoriasis Symptoms

The most recent study on Pycnogenol® found the super-antioxidant to significantly improve symptoms including flaking, redness and skin hardening by reducing inflammation, increasing skin hydration and fighting free radicals. Over the course of 12 weeks, participants that supplemented with Pycnogenol® and continued standard management (SM) drugs reported a decrease in area of skin affected by psoriasis and lessened need for SM drugs.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, July 2014