Pine Bark Extract (Pycnogenol) for Asthma Support

Research suggests that pine bark extract (Pycnogenol) may offer some benefit as an adjunct to standard asthma therapy, with two randomized controlled trials reporting improvements in lung function, symptom control, reduced rescue inhaler use, and lower inflammatory markers in both children and adults with allergic asthma. Preclinical work in cell and animal models supports a plausible anti-inflammatory mechanism, including reductions in allergy-related immune signals and airway inflammation. However, two systematic reviews and a Cochrane-style meta-analysis covering the broader body of evidence — spanning 15 to 27 trials across multiple conditions — rate the overall certainty of evidence as very low, citing small study sizes, inconsistent outcome measures, and methodological limitations that prevent firm conclusions from being drawn. At present, the evidence is preliminary and encouraging in places but not sufficient to establish Pycnogenol as a proven intervention for asthma, and more rigorous, larger-scale trials are needed before its role can be properly evaluated.