Pine Bark Extracts Treat a Wide Range of Health Problems Another holiday botanical - the Christmas tree - contains compounds that may treat arthritis. Researchers in Finland report that extract from the bark of the Scotch pine (the biggest selling Christmas tree in the U.S.) have anti-inflammatory compounds that could be developed for pain relief associated with arthritis. Pine bark? Does that ring a bell? In several e-Alerts I've told you about Pycnogenol, a pine bark extract harvested from a coastal forest in southwest France. A natural antioxidant, Pycnogenol contains a variety of anti-inflammatory polyphenols that have been shown to promote good heart health. In fact, for hundreds of years, European doctors have used pine bark extracts to treat a wide range of health problems. And those pines served another use that led to a familiar tradition. During the middle ages, Europeans decorated pines and other trees for the feast of Adam and Eve on December 24th. On behalf of everyone at the Health Sciences Institute, have a very healthy and happy holiday season. Sources:
"Christmas Trees Could be Used for Pain Relief" The Detroit Free Press, 12/16/04, freep.com
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