The most common prescription to treat osteoarthritis is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), but many people seek alternative treatments because of the side effects associated with these drugs. Pycnogenol, an antioxidant plant extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree, has been shown to reduce osteoarthritis in multiple studies.

A new study further reveals Pycnogenol's ability to improving osteoarthritis symptoms and lower plasma levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation.

Results of the study showed that Pycnogenol significantly lowered CRP from 3.9 mg/L to 1.1 mg/L, a healthy level. Other blood parameters indicative of acute inflammation likewise decreased with Pycnogenol, such as fibrinogen, which was lowered by just over 37 percent, and reactive oxygen species, which was lowered by about 30 percent.