GENEVA/MILAN – Nearly ten percent of U.S. adults suffer from ocular hypertension, a condition that occurs when the amount of oxygen and nutrient-rich fluid circulated through the eye exceeds the amount that is drained. Ocular hypertension may lead to loss of vision and glaucoma. A study published in the May issue of Clinical Ophthalmology reveals Mirtogenol®, taken with Latanoprost medication, effectively improves blood flow to the eyes in patients with ocular hypertension and aids in further normalizing ocular pressure.
“Ocular hypertension is not only a major contributor to impaired vision, but can result in serious health challenges including glaucoma, a condition that affects nearly 2.5 million U.S. adults,” said Dr. Robert Steigerwalt, Jr., lead researcher of the study. “Consistent with previous studies, this new research further demonstrates that Mirtogenol® is an effective, natural solution for improving blood flow through the central retinal arteries.”
Subjects underwent complete eye exams which found no signs of primary open angle glaucoma or visual field defects.
Subjects were randomly divided into three groups to receive treatments of prescription eye drop medication Latanoprost, Mirtogenol® tablets, or a combination of both. Each Mirtogenol® tablet contains 40mg of Pycnogenol® and 80mg of Mirtoselect®. Subjects consumed one Mirtogenol® tablet once in the morning. Latanoprost was taken as one drop per eye daily in the evening. The patients’ intraocular pressure was measured at the same time in the morning at each visit.
Normal eye pressure ranges from 10-21 mmHg. Ocular hypertension begins at a level greater than 21 mmHg. In the group of subjects taking Mirtogenol® alone the intraocular pressure was lowered from 38.1 to 29.0 mmHg, whereas in those taking Latanoprost the intraocular pressure decreased from 37.7 to 27.2 mmHg. In the third group of patients who took a combination of Mirtogenol® and Latanoprost, the intraocular pressure decreased from 38.0 to 23.0 mmHg. The study concluded that the combination of Mirtogenol® and Latanoprost was more effective than each constituent alone for lowering intraocular pressure, and also yielded better retinal blood flow.
“Mirtogenol® is the first dietary supplement clinically proven to improve blood flow in the central retinal artery and hence useful to normalize intraocular pressure,” said Dr. Steigerwalt. “Taking Mirtogenol® in addition to Latanoprost is safe, and patients can expect further improved ocular pressure from this combination.”
A previous study in Molecular Vision revealed that Mirtogenol® lowered high intraocular pressure, which translates into a decreased risk for developing glaucoma later in life. Mirtogenol® represents the first effective nutritional intervention for supporting a healthier pressure in the eyes. This study addresses the needs of people with diagnosed ocular hypertension who take medications, and now have a nutritional option to further improve their eye health. While several circumstances are believed to be involved in the development of glaucoma, an elevated intraocular pressure is certain to represent the greatest variable risk factor.
Mirtogenol® is a safe and efficacious patent-pending formula and is available on an exclusive basis with selected retailers worldwide. For a complete history on this proprietary breakthrough eye health supplement, visit www.mirtogenol.com.
About Mirtogenol®
Mirtogenol®, 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.Visit www.mirtogenol.com for more information or www.mirtogenol.jp for the Japanese website.
###
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.
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.com