Orally in liquid diet administered procyanidin-containing extracts from Pinus pinaster Ait. decreased the croton oil-induced ear edema in mice or the compound 48/80-induced hind paw edema in rats to a statistically significant extent. Most effective were the extracts containing mainly oligomeric procyanidins with chain lengths greater then 4 units (extracts A or B). Further, the different extracts incorporated in various concentrations (1.0, 3.0 or 0.1%) in 5% hydroxyethylcellulose gel and applied topically on the shaved back of rats, inhibited significantly the ultraviolet radiation-induced increased capillary permeability. In these experiments, normalisation of capillary permeability was not correlated with the content of the extracts on higher oligomeric procyanidins.