Archived NutriNews 
Posted October 2011
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Natural Alternatives to Support the
Inflammatory Process
by Martin Gallagher, MD, DC
Just as the term “antioxidant” went from an academic concept
to an almost household word, we may be seeing a similar shift
with the use of the term “inflammation.” Researchers are
continuing to uncover that chronic inflammatory processes may
be at the root of many health problems. While inflammation is
a necessary and important process in the body, especially for
healing of the body following acute injury, it appears that the
presence of a chronic imbalance in favor of pro–inflammatory
pathways can tip the scale toward the development of disease.
This is not necessarily the type of inflammation that makes
your joints hurt after a strenuous bout of exercise, but rather
persistent, low-level inflammation that exists throughout the
body. Many biomarkers and indices of inflammation have
been revealed in recent years in an attempt to better quantify
these processes, including but not limited to C-reactive
protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL–6), IL–10, IL–18, monocyte
chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP–1), and tumor necrosis
factor–alpha (TNF–a).
Some of these markers have been correlated with the
development of chronic disease, and while the exact temporal
relationship between the inflammatory markers and the
disease processes is not fully understood, there does appear
to be a link. Elevated levels of CRP have been associated with
decreased cardiovascular health and blood sugar management
and weight loss has been shown to significantly reduce levels
of the inflammatory biomarkers IL–6, and TNF–a as well
as CRP.
One of the major questions for the integrative healthcare
professional is: Are there natural products that can
beneficially support the inflammatory processes? The answer
is a resounding YES. Many natural compounds possess
inflammatory supportive properties that may beneficially
impact health, and these products are gaining more attention
in the public eye as a result of basic research. Covering every
natural product that has shown anti-inflammatory potential is
beyond the scope of this article, but it is important to highlight
a few natural products that have been the focus of recent
interest. Here I list four compounds that I find interesting and
briefly describe how I use these in my practice.
Pine Bark Extract: A brand of standardized French maritime
pine bark extract called Pycnogenol® has been the focus
of a significant amount of research over the last 20 years,
much of which has centered on its support of inflammation.
In addition to its ability to scavenge free radicals, this
extract has demonstrated the ability to inhibit NF–kB dependent
gene expression and decrease the activity of
pro–inflammatory mediators. Interestingly, subjects who
ingested oral Pycnogenol® demonstrated a reduced plasma
secretion of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9). Proteinases
such as MMP9 can be produced during chronic inflammation and
can result in the breakdown of cellular integrity. Pycnogenol®
has been safely used in doses of 50–450 mg daily for up to six
months in adults. I recommend 25–50 mg of Pycnogenol® one
to three times daily for my patients.
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