/oss/taxonomy/term/2251/all en /oss/article/uncategorized/pycnogenol <p>When you eat fresh peanuts, you crack the shell and strip the nuts of the thin reddish inner skin that surrounds them. Who would have ever thought that examining the chemistry of this skin would lead to a popular dietary supplement? In 1947 Jacques Masquelier in France, as part of a PhD thesis, investigated the possible toxicity of the peanut membrane and found no chemicals of concern. He did, however find a mixture of compounds with the foreboding name of oligomeric proanthocyanidins which had an interesting biological effect. In the laboratory these compounds made blood vessels suppler.</p> Fri, 10 Jun 2011 18:01:37 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1552 at /oss