Pre-clinical evaluation of the profilatic effects of Pinus pinaster extract (Pycnogenol^®) on skin hemosiderin deposits

INTRODUCTION: Sclerotherapy is the most widely used method for the treatment of varicose veins of the lower limbs. The most common complication is the appearance of hyperchromic spots in the treated region. Pycnogenol^® has long been known as a phlebotonic, anti-inflammatory and skin depigmenting drug. Studies have already proven the efficacy of this drug in the prevention and treatment of post inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of Pinus pinaster extract (Pycnogenol^®; PPE) in the prevention of hemosiderin deposits in human skin culture submitted to inflammatory stress.
METHODS: Fragments of human skin were stimulated with interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1 α) to induce an inflammatory response and, concurrently treated with PPE for further histological evaluation and hemosiderin semi-quantification.
RESULTS: The histological evaluation of skin fragments exposed to IL-1 alpha revealed a 26.6% higher hemosiderin density compared with the control group. Moreover, skin fragments incubated concomitantly with PPE showed significant reductions in hemosiderin deposits when compared with the group only exposed to the inflammatory microenvironment.
CONCLUSIONS: The results presented in this study showed an important effect of PPE (Pycnogenol^®) in the prevention of hemosiderin accumulation caused by inflammatory stress similar to the post-sclerotherapy process.

Keywords: Hemosiderin; Hyperpigmentation; Sclerotherapy