Pycnogenol®, a procyanidins‐enriched extract of Pinus maritima bark, possesses antidiabetic properties, which improves the altered parameters of glucose metabolism that are associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Since the insulin‐stimulated antidiabetic activities of natural bioactive compounds are mediated by GLUT4 via the phosphatidylinositol‐3‐kinase (PI3K) and/or p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (p38‐MAPK) pathway, the effects of pycnogenol® were examined on the molecular mechanism of glucose uptake by the glucose transport system. 3T3‐L1 adipocytes were treated with various concentrations of pycnogenol®, and glucose uptake was examined using a non‐radioisotope enzymatic assay and by molecular events associated with the glucose transport system using semi‐quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). The results show that pycnogenol® increased glucose uptake in fully differentiated 3T3‐L1 adipocytes and increased the relative abundance of both GLUT4 and Akt mRNAs through the PI3K pathway in a dose dependent manner. Furthermore, pycnogenol® restored the PI3K antagonist‐induced inhibition of glucose uptake in the presence of wartmannin, an inhibitor of the PI3K. Overall, these results indicate that pycnogenol® may stimulate glucose uptake via the PI3K dependent tyrosine kinase pathways involving Akt. Further the results suggest that pycnogenol® might be useful in maintaining blood glucose control. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.