REVIEW article
Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Pharmacology of Infectious Diseases
Therapeutic potential of pycnogenol: Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antiviral, and anticancer effects
1. Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Patuakhali, Bangladesh
2. The Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
3. Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
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Abstract
Pycnogenol (PYC), a standardized extract derived from the bark of the French maritime pine (Pinus pinaster ssp. atlantica), exhibits a broad spectrum of biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antiviral, and anticancer effects. These effects are attributed to the rich profile of polyphenolic compounds, which confer potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Viral infections frequently induce oxidative stress, inflammation, and immune dysregulation, thereby posing substantial challenges to global public health. Accordingly, the development of effective antiviral agents applicable across diverse viral outbreak settings remains a critical goal. PYC has demonstrated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral potential against several viruses, including hepatitis C virus, dengue virus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. In addition, PYC exhibited anticancer activity by modulating cell signaling pathways, inhibiting tumor cell proliferation, inducing apoptosis, and suppressing angiogenesis. However, further research and clinical validation are required to confirm its therapeutic applications. Accordingly, this review summarizes the current understanding regarding the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer mechanisms of PYC. Moreover, the review highlights its immunomodulatory properties to inform future antiviral and anticancer drug development and therapeutic strategies.
Summary
Keywords
anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, French maritime pine, immunomodulatory, Pycnogenol
Received
26 November 2025
Accepted
20 February 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Kayesh, Kohara and Tsukiyama-Kohara. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Mohammad Enamul Hoque Kayesh; Kyoko Tsukiyama-Kohara
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.