Antidiabetic properties of Pycnogenol, a pine bark extract

Diabetes is possibly the world's largest growing metabolic disorder. As the knowledge on heterogeneity of this disorder has advanced the need for more appropriate therapy has increased. The enormous costs and serious side effects of modern medicines indicate that alternative strategies are required for better management of diabetes. A scientific investigation of traditional herbal remedies for diabetes may develop dietary supplements as alternative strategies. However, most of these plant remedies have not gained much recognition as medicines, in part due to the lack of specific standards for herbal supplements and supportive experimental/clinical trials. This review covers various important biochemical and clinical aspects of antidiabetic effects of Pycnogenol, a pine bark extract, one of the few well-studied plant extracts with antidiabetic activities.