Micronized purified flavonoid fraction and the treatment of chronic venousinsufficiency: Microcirculatory mechanisms

The standard treatments for venous diseases of the lower limb include compr ession bandaging and stockings as well as surgical removal of varicose vein s. There is a number of conditions in which these conventional treatments a re ineffective. particularly in the management of leg ulceration. Drug trea tments for healing venous leg ulcers have)ret to be developed to the stage of good clinical efficacy; but may assist in the management of patients. Fl avonoid drugs have been widely used in the management of the symptoms of ve nous disease for many years and have recently been studied in some detail t o assess their effects on the microcirculation. Work in animal models of is chemia/reperfusion (I/R) show that micronized purified flavonoid fraction ( MPFF) modulates leukocyte adhesion and prevents endothelial damage. Similar biochemical effects have been observed in patients with venous disease and ma); explain the efficacy of this drug in the management of edema and othe r symptoms of venous disease. There is some evidence that MPFF promotes ven ous leg ulcer healing.