ABSTRACT
<i>Objective</i>: To clarify the effect of Pycnogenol, French maritime pine bark extract, side effects of hormonal therapies.<br> <i>Study Design</i>: Side effects of patients with continuous intake of Pycnogenol during and after Gn-Rh analogue therapy (G group; n=22 (c=14)), moderate (M group; n=21 (c=13)) and low (L group; n=40 (c=23)) dose of cyclic hormonal therapies due to uterine myomas, dysmenorrhea and endometriosis were observed. All subjects provided signed informed consent after understanding the purpose and methods of this study. The ethical committee of Keiju Medical Center approved this study.<br> <i>Result</i>: Continuous intake of Pycnogenol significantly reduced the joint pain, general malaise and dysmenorrhea after the treatment of Gn-Rh analogue and reduced the increase of body weight and edema during the treatments of moderate and low dose of cyclic hormonal therapies.<br> <i>Conclusion</i>: Pycnogenol has preventive effects on the side effect of gynecological hormonal therapies.<br>