抄録
Bioflavonoid mixture containing oligomeric procyanidins (OPCs) extracted from pine bark is drawing attention and considered to improve microcirculation via antioxidative, antiplatelet and anti-inflammatory actions. To confirm their rheologic actions, we investigated the effects of OPCs on erythrocyte filterability in two different clinical situations using nickel mesh filtration method. OPCs (40 mg/day) were administered every day for 2 weeks to 10 males with metabolic syndrome and 47 females with cold intolerance (so-called 'Hie-sho'). Because microcirculation is supposed to be impaired in these clinical situations. Mean erythrocyte filterability in the males with metabolic syndrome (64.6±14.5%) was significantly (p<0.02) improved after the intake of OPCs (77.3±5.6%). Furthermore, we found a good correlation between the improvement of erythrocyte filterability and microcirculation evaluated by laser Doppler flowmeter (r=0.92). On the other hand, no favorable effects of OPCs on erythrocyte filterability were found in the females with cold intolerance. Thus, effectiveness of OPCs is considered to be variable depending on the clinical situations. Erythrocyte filterability in metabolic syndrome is impaired probably by oxidative stress on erythrocyte membrane, whereas that in cold intolerance is impaired by some other mechanisms. [J Physiol Sci. 2007;57 Suppl:S199]
