Wednesday, March 6, 2013

How Diosmin Relieves Unsightly Varicose Veins

Reposted from Life Extension

http://blog.lef.org/2013/03/diosmin-relieves-varicose-veins.html

By Michael A. Smith, MD
For the last 30 years, millions of European women have been using a doctor-prescribed citrus fruit flavonoid extract to attain healthier, smoother legs.

Now, U.S. women have access to the same European drug without a doctor’s prescription as a nutraceutical product, called micronized diosmin. It has been clinically proven to produce healthier-looking legs by healing swollen ankles, spider and varicose veins, and leg ulcers.

While current U.S. drug treatments for cosmetic improvement in the legs have not achieved good clinical efficacy, micronized diosmin has enjoyed an outstanding 30-year record of research testing and success in Europe.1It enhances the appearance of the legs by reducing ankle swelling, improving the appearance of varicose and spider veins, and restoring healthy vascular function in people suffering from chronic venous disorders.

Diosmin Protects the Microcirculation in Your Legs

The role of the legs’ venous system is to return deoxygenated blood from the lower extremities to your heart. To counterbalance the effect of gravity, leg veins are equipped with a series of one-way valves that prevent the return of blood flow to the feet.

In people with healthy venous valves, each contraction of the calf muscle pumps venous blood toward the heart. As valves become damaged, they allow retrograde flow of blood toward the feet, leading to hypertension in the veins and further complications linked to progression of chronic venous disease.

This leads to damage of the venous wall, the appearance of varicose veins, and further damage leading to the progression of venous disease.

It’s been postulated that micronized diosmin works by inhibiting the interaction between immune cells and the endothelium lining the vein. By doing this, the vein and valves are strengthened.

Diosmin protects capillaries and the microcirculation from inflammation and vascular-destructive compounds while inhibiting white blood cell activation, migration, and adhesion.

Likewise, micronized diosmin prevents tissue damage to blood vessel valves; preventing venous blood backflow.2-4By the way, chronic venous insufficiency isn’t just a cosmetic issue. It’s a risk factor for phlebitis, an inflammatory venous condition that can cause deep venous thrombosis or clots. These clots can travel to the lungs and cause significant damage and even death.

Diosmin Completely Heals Venous Ulcers in Legs

A multicenter, randomized, controlled trial tested micronized diosmin in addition to standard compression stocking therapy versus placebo for two months in patients with leg ulcers.

The study group consisted of 140 men and women ranging in age from 18 to 85 years who were undergoing standardized local care of leg ulcer5.

A significantly larger number of patients (47% in the diosmin group vs. 28% in the placebo group) experienced complete healing of venous ulcers at the end of six months. Pretty impressive, right?

Why Micronized Diosmin?

Micronization is a technique that reduces the size of the particles and improves the rate of absorption of an otherwise poorly absorbed compound – such as diosmin.

It’s a widely accepted principle that the smaller the particles of a compound like diosmin, the better the absorption and ultimately the better the distribution throughout the body, a concept called bioavailability.

Micronized diosmin has been reduced from a mean particle size of 36.5 micrometers to a mean particle size of 1.79 micrometers. This significantly improved the gastrointestinal absorption of diosmin by at least 30%, and this increased bioavailability should result in improved efficacy.6Also, micronized diosmin enjoys an outstanding safety record unrivaled by any other drug used to treat venous disorders.

Finally, the overwhelming majority of published studies show that diosmin is generally nontoxic at recommended doses, including studies involving pregnancy, and is relatively free from drug interactions.

References:

  1. Angiology. 1994 Jun;45(6):419-28.
  2. Microcirculation. 2000;7(6 Pt 2):S29-S34.
  3. Angiology. 2001 Aug;52 Suppl 1S49-S56.
  4. Int Angiol. 1995 Sep;14(3 Suppl 1):36-8.
  5. Phlebology. 1999;14:151-7.
  6. J Pharm Sci. 2002 Jan;91(1):32-40.
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