Preliminary research suggests that pycnogenol may have a beneficial role in allergy prevention and asthma control, but more research is needed.
Pycnogenol may have a beneficial effect on mild to moderate asthma, with research suggesting that supplementation may improve lung function in both children and adults.[1][2][3] In adults with allergic asthma, those who were supplemented with pycnogenol were more likely to reduce their required dose of inhaled corticosteroids.[3] In childhood asthma, supplementation led to a reduced need for rescue inhalers compared to placebo.[1]
In terms of allergies, one study found that pycnogenol reduced symptoms of allergic rhinitis and the use of allergy medications (antihistamines) compared to placebo when started at least 5 weeks before allergy season. This effect could be due to pycnogenol reducing the release of histamine from mast cells, which has been observed in in vitro and animal studies.[4][5]