24th July, 2008
New
Study: MirtogenolTM Lowers High Intraocular
Hypertension
Research shows First of its Kind Food Supplement Reduces
Likelihood
of Developing Glaucoma
July 24, 2008 - GENEVA / MILAN -
New research published in the July issue of Molecular
Vision demonstrates that natural supplement MirtogenolTM,
a combination of standardized bilberry extract Mirtoselect®
and French maritime pine bark extract Pycnogenol®,
lowers high intraocular pressure (IOP), which
significantly reduces the likelihood of developing
glaucoma. This study describes the discovery of the first
effective nutritional intervention supporting a healthier
pressure in the eyes. While several circumstances are
believed to be involved in the development of glaucoma, an
elevated intra-ocular pressure is certain to represent the
greatest variable risk factor.
According to the Glaucoma Research
Foundation, glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness.
While all populations are at risk, there is an especially
high risk for adults over 40 as well as young African
Americans. The National Eye Institute estimates that OAG
affects 2.22 million U.S. citizens and will increase by 50
percent to 3.6 million in 2020.
"The study results are extremely
promising as this is the first demonstration showing a
natural food supplement, MirtogenolTM can
contribute significantly to control intraocular pressure
which is a major risk factor in developing glaucoma"
said Dr. Robert Steigerwalt, Jr., lead researcher of the
study. "Because this formula is completely natural
there are no serious side effects, making it a viable
natural preventative option for anybody concerned about
vision loss."
The study, which was held at the
University of Chieti-Pescara in San Valentino, Italy,
divided 38 individuals into two groups. The first group
consisted of 20 subjects who were given MirtogenolTM,
once in the morning and once in the evening for six
months. Each MirtogenolTM tablet contained 40mg
of Pycnogenol®, French maritime pine bark
extract and 80mg of Mirtoselect®, standardized
bilberry extract. The control group, consisting of 18
participants, were followed without treatment. The IOP was
measured with the standard Goldmann applanation tonometer
at the same time in the morning. Prior to testing,
subjects had complete eye exams, ocular hypertension and
no signs of glaucoma.
At the end of the testing, MirtogenolTM
lowered IOP in 19 of 20 patients versus one of the 18
patients in the control group. Throughout the study there
was a total decrease of IOP from 25.2 mmHg to 22.0 mmHg in
the MirtogenolTM group (-13%) compared to the 24.6 mmHG
to 24.5 mmHG in the control group (-0.4%).
The pressure in the eyes builds up when
the amount of oxygen and nutrient rich fluid brought into
the eye exceeds the amount drained from it. The increased
pressure is believed to progressively destroy the optic
nerve with symptoms setting in with a blurred peripheral
vision. Investigation of the eye's arteries by color
Doppler imaging suggest that MirtogenolTM
supports a better blood flow helping to restore an
equilibrium of fluids in the eye.
"What's interesting about these
results is it reveals MirtogenolTM may decrease
the risk of developing glaucoma, an eye disease which is
particularly dangerous because it can progress gradually
and go unnoticed for years." said Dr. Steigerwalt.
"This is an age-related condition we have
previously not been able to take preventative measures
against."
"This discovery is a breakthrough
in nutraceuticals of the eye health category"
commented Victor Ferrari (CEO of Horphag Research Ltd.)
and Daniele Giavini (General Manager of Indena S.p.A.).
"For other degenerative eye disorders such as
cataract, AMD and retinopathy nutritional preventative
measures are well known. The association between nutrition
and glaucoma was the 'missing link' and now there's
finally a nutritional approach for decreasing the risk for
developing glaucoma by normalizing the intra-ocular
pressure."
Previous studies on the two ingredients in
MirtogenolTM have demonstrated benefits for eye
health. In past studies, Mirtoselect® has been
suggested to be useful as therapeutic application for
ophthalmic problems and was found to have significant
reduction of retinal micro-hemorrhages in retinopathy
patients. Pycnogenol® has previously been
shown to significantly enhance generation of endothelial
nitric oxide and lower plasma endotelin-1 in patients with
Type II diabetes. Five clinical studies with more than
1200 patients have demonstrated Pycnogenol's®
effectiveness at reducing retinal micro-bleedings and its
affinity to seal leaky capillaries halting gradual vision
loss.
Indena S.p.A and Horphag Research
established a partnership built on their similar business
practices of scientific research and development. Through
research discoveries, they focused on the uniqueness of
their respective ingredients and potential to advance to a
new level in eye care with a combination formula.
MirtogenolTM is a safe and efficacious product,
offering consumers an innovative, superior choice when
searching for natural alternatives to incorporate into
their eye health routine.
The companies will market the patent
pending formula on an exclusive basis with selected
retailers in specific countries world-wide.
About MirtogenolTM
MirtogenolTM, a trademark of
Indena S.p.A and Horphag Research Ltd., is a patent
pending proprietary combination of standardized bilberry
extract Mirtoselect® and French maritime pine
bark extract Pycnogenol®, offers natural eye
health benefits. Mirtoselect® is a
standardized extract containing anthocyanins and is
obtained exclusively from Vaccinium myrtillus L. fresh
fruits that are harvested when ripe, between July and
September. Mirtoselect® is a registered
trademark of Indena, S.p.A., Milan, Italy. Pycnogenol®
is a natural plant extract originating from the bark of
the maritime pine that grows along the coast of southwest
France and is found to contain a unique combination of
procyanidins, bioflavonoids and organic acids. Pycnogenol®
is a registered trademark of Horphag Research, Ltd.:
Guernsey
About Horphag Research
Horphag Research Ltd. is
the exclusive worldwide supplier of Pycnogenol® (pic-noj-en-all) French
maritime pine bark extract. Pycnogenol® is a registered trademark of
Horphag Research Ltd.; Guernsey and its applications are protected by
U.S. patents #5,720,956 / #6,372,266 and other international patents. For more
information about Pycnogenol® visit our Web site at
www.pycnogenol.com
Horphag
Research press contacts:
Melanie
Nimrodi
312.546.3508
mnimrodi@mww.com
or
John
Foyer
312.546.3523
jfoyer@mww.com
About Indena
Indena is the world's
leading company dedicated to the identification, development and
production of active principles derived from plants, for use in the
pharmaceutical, health food and cosmetics industries. Backed up by over 80
years of botanical experience, Indena has more than 150 primary patents
and has published around 700 scientific studies. The Company's experts
communicate and interact constantly with the major international
regulatory authorities such as WHO, EMEA, and ESCOP, and work with all the
main pharmacopoeias. For more information about Indena, visit www.indena.com.
For more information about Mirtoselect® visit www.mirtoselect.info
Indena
press contacts:
Cohn
& Wolfe Milan
Laura Faravelli: laura_faravelli@cohnwolfe.com
Lorenzo Petracco:
lorenzo_petracco@cohnwolfe.com
Tel.+39
02 202391
