Hoboken, NJ—New research may help improve psoriasis symptoms including redness, skin hardening and flaking without side effects and improve the effectiveness of standard psoriasis treatments, according to a peer-reviewed study published in Panminerva Medica.

The study, headed by scientists from ChietiPescara University in Italy, found that the supplementation with Pycnogenol, the patented French maritime pine bark extract distributed by Horphag Research, has reduced the painful and visible symptoms of psoriasis. In the 12-week trial, researchers worked with 73 patients between the ages of 30 and 45 who had moderate to severe psoriasis. The group that has 38 participants supplemented 150 mg/daily of the extract in addition to their usual treatment.

After 12 weeks, the extract was shown to significantly decrease the area of skin psoriasis in all body regions, increase the content of water and oil/lipids in all areas of the skin, reduce oxidative stress and reduce the need for standard management drugs. Other results included the decrease of time dedicated to treatment (32% less in comparison with standard management), reduce cost of treatment (decreases on average 36.4% in comparison with standard management) and reduce problems reported by other treatments.

At the end of the study, more than 80% of participants using the patented extract chose to continue using the extract. Physician and nutritional medicine expert, Dr. Fred Pescatore, offers the exclamation that it “was a good indicator of the emotional award of looking and feeling better from using Pycnogenol.”

The study has proven that these findings reduce inflammation, shown current treatments are lacking and offer hope to affected patients of psoriasis.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, July 2014 (online June 6, 2014)