Pycnogenol (French Maritime Pine Bark) for the Treatment of Gulf War Illness

NCT ID: NCT07266571

Last Updated: 2025-12-05

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

20 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2026-02-01

Study Completion Date

2027-02-01

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

The purpose of this research study is to determine how pycnogenol may reduce Gulf War Illness (GWI) symptom severity. The study will also examine the safety of this treatment and determine the optimal dosage. We believe that GWI involves inflammation in the body and brain that causes fatigue, pain, cognitive disruption, and other symptoms. Botanicals that reduce inflammation may help treat GWI.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

This study uses a decentralized design where individuals can participate from anywhere in the United States. Botanicals will be received by mail. Participants will also receive placebo (capsules with an inactive substance) during the treatment phase of the study. All participants will have been present in the Persian Gulf between 1990 and August 1991. This study will be tested on GWI participants recruited nationwide, with a total of 20 participants enrolled for the entire study. Participation will last 12 months.

The first stage of the study is the baseline phase. During this time, participants will complete weekly questionnaires about symptom severity ratings but will not take any capsules. The baseline stage will last for 30 days.

After the 30-day baseline, the treatment stage will begin. Capsules will be taken once in the morning, and once before bed. This study is single-blind, meaning that participants will not know when placebo or pycnogenol are received. There are also four possible dosages for pycnogenol.

The capsules will be packaged to indicate the order in which they should be taken. The capsules will be packaged in blister packs and shipped to participants. The capsules are designed to look the same throughout the study, though the contents can change. This treatment stage is the longest, lasting 10 months.

During the treatment stage, participants will also be asked to complete weekly questionnaires about GWI symptoms. These weekly questionnaires will also ask about changes in symptoms and overall quality of life, as well as changes in physical and mental health. Questionnaires can be completed on a smartphone, computer, or tablet. If participants do not have an appropriate device, or do not want to use your personal device, a tablet can be sent for the study. A research team member will speak with participants to set up electronic device connections and will verify the information is received.

At the end of the treatment stage, participants will stop taking capsules and will complete the end line stage. This stage is the same as the baseline stage in which participants will complete weekly symptom measures without taking capsules. This stage will last for 30 days.

After completion of the study, participants will be told when placebo was received, and what dosage(s) of treatment were received. Participants will also be shown how GWI severity changes over time.

While this study is long, it is designed to not be a significant burden to daily life. On most days, participation (taking morning capsules, taking evening capsules, and completing weekly symptom severity reports) should take approximately 2 minutes.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Gulf War Syndrome

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

This study is single-blind, participants will not know when they received placebo or pycnogenol. There are also four possible dosages for pycnogenol. Participants will also receive placebo (capsules with an inactive substance) at some point during the treatment phase of the study.

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Participants Receiving Botanicals

Participants Receiving Botanicals

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Placebo

Intervention Type OTHER

The placebo being used in this study is microcrystalline cellulose. This will be taken orally, up to twice per day.

Pycnogenol, 100mg

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Pycnogenol being used in this study is a commercially available dietary supplement and is classified as food by the FDA instead of a drug. This will be taken orally, up to twice per day.

Pycnogenol, 200mg

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Pycnogenol being used in this study is a commercially available dietary supplement and is classified as food by the FDA instead of a drug. This will be taken orally, up to twice per day.

Pycnogenol, 400mg

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Pycnogenol being used in this study is a commercially available dietary supplement and is classified as food by the FDA instead of a drug. This will be taken orally, up to twice per day.

Pycnogenol, 600mg

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Pycnogenol being used in this study is a commercially available dietary supplement and is classified as food by the FDA instead of a drug. This will be taken orally, up to twice per day.

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Placebo

The placebo being used in this study is microcrystalline cellulose. This will be taken orally, up to twice per day.

Intervention Type OTHER

Pycnogenol, 100mg

Pycnogenol being used in this study is a commercially available dietary supplement and is classified as food by the FDA instead of a drug. This will be taken orally, up to twice per day.

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Pycnogenol, 200mg

Pycnogenol being used in this study is a commercially available dietary supplement and is classified as food by the FDA instead of a drug. This will be taken orally, up to twice per day.

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Pycnogenol, 400mg

Pycnogenol being used in this study is a commercially available dietary supplement and is classified as food by the FDA instead of a drug. This will be taken orally, up to twice per day.

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Pycnogenol, 600mg

Pycnogenol being used in this study is a commercially available dietary supplement and is classified as food by the FDA instead of a drug. This will be taken orally, up to twice per day.

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Other Intervention Names

Discover alternative or legacy names that may be used to describe the listed interventions across different sources.

Microcrystalline Cellulose French Maritime Pine Bark French Maritime Pine Bark French Maritime Pine Bark French Maritime Pine Bark

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Meet the Kansas GWI case definition
* Meet the CDC GWI case definition
* Able to commit to a 12-month study
* Participants will be individuals in our Gulf War database who have already completed our other botanical trial, Curcumin, Resveratrol, and Stinging Nettle as Treatments for Gulf War Illness (NCT05377242).

Exclusion Criteria

* Currently involved in another experimental treatment study
* Currently pregnant
* Have a blood clotting disorder
* Reported diagnosis of diabetes with a A1C greater than 9
* Use of contraindicated medications (see below):
* Anticoagulants (such as warfarin, heparin, etc.)
* Lithium
* Tacrolimus (Prograf)
* Cancer medications (Alkylating agents, antitumor antibiotics, Topoisomerase I inhibitors, Tamoxifen)
* Daily Use of Antiplatelet agents (e.g. aspirin, clopidogrel)
* Nitroglycerin
* Hypotension
* Need for surgery during study period.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

University of Alabama at Birmingham

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Jarred Younger

Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Jarred Younger, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Birmingham, Alabama, United States

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

United States

Central Contacts

Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.

Jarred Younger, PhD

Role: CONTACT

205-975-5821

Facility Contacts

Find local site contact details for specific facilities participating in the trial.

Jarred Younger, PhD

Role: primary

205-975-5821

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

UAB

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

30015456

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.

Glutathione vs. Curcumin Clinical Trial
NCT02848417 UNKNOWN PHASE1/PHASE2
NF-1, Nutraceutical Intervention
NCT05363267 ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING PHASE1
Nuts and Oil Pilot Study
NCT04361617 COMPLETED NA