The body’s first line of defense against coronary artery disease, the most common type of heart disease, are endothelial cells. These cells serve as the “traffic cop” for blood flow, directing blood to the appropriate area of the body such as the heart, brain, muscles or digestive system to support the body’s actions. A study published in the January 2012 issue of European Heart Journal found that natural supplement Pycnogenol® (pic-noj-en-all), an antioxidant plant extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree and natural solution for heart health, improves endothelial function in patients with stable coronary artery disease.