In the Middle Ages, people used pine bark to treat wounds. There have been many reports in history of using tree bark decoction to treat various diseases. The earliest reports can be traced back to the 14th century. The report that sparked modern research on pine bark extracts originated from the experience of a French explorer, Captain Carter. From 1534 to 1535, Captain Carter set out from France in an attempt to find a passage from the northwest to China. When the exploration team arrived in Hudson Bay, it was a cold winter, and the fleet was trapped in the frozen seawater in the Indian region of North America. The crew had to rely on stored food for the winter. Fresh food was quickly consumed, and due to a severe lack of vitamin C, a large number of crew members suffered from scurvy. 25 crew members were killed by scurvy, and more than 50 crew members were seriously ill. At this moment, Captain Carter met a local indigenous leader. The indigenous leader brewed tea from the bark and needles of a pine tree for the crew to drink. After a week or two, the crew miraculously recovered their health. Later, it was discovered that the pine needles used for brewing tea contained vitamin C, and the pine bark contained a large amount of biological flavonoids such as proanthocyanidins that could enhance the biological activity of vitamin C. Therefore, pine tea saved the entire fleet.

Captain Carter detailed this matter in his book "Journey to Canada" published in 1545.