Home Ingredients Oligopin® (French Maritime Pine Bark Extract — DRT)
CardiovascularAnti-Inflammatory

Oligopin® (French Maritime Pine Bark Extract — DRT)

Pinus pinaster
Evidence Level
Moderate
1 Clinical Trial
4 Documented Benefits
3/5 Evidence Score

Oligopin® is a French maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) bark extract from DRT, standardized for low-molecular-weight oligomeric procyanidins (OPCs). These antioxidant polyphenols are studied for supporting blood-vessel function, healthy circulation, and cardiometabolic markers.

Studied Dose Around 100 to 150 mg per day.
Active Compound French maritime pine bark extract standardized to low-molecular-weight oligomeric procyanidins (OPCs).

Benefits

Cardiometabolic support

Pine bark OPCs are studied for supporting healthy blood pressure, blood-vessel function, and cardiometabolic markers.

Supported by Trial 1

Antioxidant defense

The procyanidins are potent antioxidants that protect blood vessels and tissues from oxidative stress.

Supported by Trial 1

Circulation

By supporting nitric oxide and endothelial function, pine bark extract is used to support healthy circulation.

Supported by Trial 1

Lower CRP and IL-6 inflammation markers studied in ICU patients

Tested as Oligopin itself: in a placebo-controlled trial of 67 ICU patients with traumatic brain injury, 150 mg given with tube feeding for 10 days lowered IL-6, IL-1beta and CRP versus placebo. This is a single trial in critically ill people and may not apply to healthy adults. A review of 5 trials of Pycnogenol, a different pine bark extract, found lower CRP, but with very high heterogeneity.

Supported by Trial 1

Mechanism of action

1

Endothelial nitric oxide

OPCs support nitric oxide production in blood-vessel linings, promoting vasodilation and healthy blood flow.

2

Antioxidant polyphenols

The low-molecular-weight procyanidins are readily absorbed and scavenge free radicals throughout the vasculature.

Clinical trials

1
Pine Bark Extract and Cardiometabolic Health — Study
PubMed

Study of supplementation with pine bark extract on cardiometabolic measures. (Mohammadi et al. 2025, BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies)

Adults.

Pine bark extract supplementation supported cardiometabolic markers, consistent with the antioxidant and vascular actions of its procyanidins.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

Generally well-tolerated — adverse effects are uncommon at normal doses.
Mild digestive upset is occasionally reported.
Discontinue if any unusual reaction occurs.

Important Drug interactions

Anticoagulants and antiplatelets — possible mild additive effect; monitor.
Blood pressure medication — possible additive lowering.
Tell your doctor if you take cardiovascular medication.

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Frequently asked questions about Oligopin® (French Maritime Pine Bark Extract — DRT)

What is Oligopin?

Oligopin® is a French maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) bark extract from DRT, standardized for low-molecular-weight oligomeric procyanidins (OPCs). These antioxidant polyphenols are studied for supporting blood-vessel function, healthy circulation, and cardiometabolic markers.

What is Oligopin used for?

Oligopin is researched primarily for Cardiovascular and Anti-Inflammatory. Pine bark OPCs are studied for supporting healthy blood pressure, blood-vessel function, and cardiometabolic markers.

What is the recommended dosage of Oligopin?

The clinically studied dose is Around 100 to 150 mg per day. Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is Oligopin safe, and does it have side effects?

Side effects and cautions reported for Oligopin include: Generally well-tolerated — adverse effects are uncommon at normal doses. Mild digestive upset is occasionally reported. It may also interact with some medications. Oligopin is not right for everyone, so check with a healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.

Does Oligopin interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Anticoagulants and antiplatelets — possible mild additive effect; monitor. Blood pressure medication — possible additive lowering. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for Oligopin?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for Oligopin as Moderate (3 out of 5). It is backed by 1 study summary and 3 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(3 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Mohammadi S, Fulop T, Khalil A, et al. Does supplementation with pine bark extract improve cardiometabolic risk factors? BMC Complement Med Ther. 2025;25(1):71..PubMedUsed to support: Systematic review and meta-analysis of 27 RCTs (n=1,685) finding modest but statistically significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, HbA1c, body weight, and LDL cholesterol; no significant effect on BMI, waist/hip ratio, insulin, HDL, triglycerides, or total cholesterol.
  2. Malekahmadi M, Shadnoush M, Islam SMS, Shirvani A, Pahlavani N, Gholizadeh Navashenaq J, Firouzi S, McVicar J, Nematy M, Zali MR, Moradi Moghaddam O, Norouzy A. The effect of French maritime pine bark extract supplementation on inflammation, nutritional and clinical status in critically ill patients with traumatic brain injury: A randomized controlled trial. Phytother Res. 2021;35(9):5178-5188..PubMedUsed to support: A placebo-controlled RCT in 67 ICU patients with traumatic brain injury. The intervention group received 150 mg of Oligopin with enteral nutrition for 10 days. Compared with control, it lowered IL-6 (beta -53.43 pg/ml), IL-1beta (beta -111.66 pg/ml) and CRP (beta -19.99 mg/L), and it lowered APACHE II and SOFA scores. Backs the Oligopin sentence of the anti-inflammatory benefit.
  3. Nikpayam O, Rouhani MH, Pourmasoumi M, Roshanravan N, Ghaedi E, Mohammadi H. The Effect of Pycnogenol Supplementation on Plasma C-Reactive Protein Concentration: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Clin Nutr Res. 2018;7(2):117-125..PubMedUsed to support: A meta-analysis of 5 trials (324 participants) of Pycnogenol, a different French maritime pine bark extract. CRP was lower (-1.22 mg/dL, 95% CI -2.43 to -0.003), with very high heterogeneity (I2 = 99%). Class-level context for the anti-inflammatory benefit, not Oligopin-specific.