Pycnogenol is a natural plant product made from the bark of the European coastal pine, Pinus maritima. This powerful antioxidant is rich in proanthocyanidins, a special class of water-soluble bioflavonoids. Proanthocyanidins are potent antioxidants that effectively scavenge both water- and lipid-soluble free radicals. Proanthocyanidins also support the integrity of elastin and collagen, important constituents of connective tissue.