Compounds naturally occurring in grape seeds include vitamin E, linoleic acid--an essential fatty acid--flavonoids and oligomeric proanthocyanidins, or OPC's. These compounds have been studied for their health-promoting effects and found to be safe and effective in preventing and reversing a host of health conditions. Occasional side effects reported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine include headache, dry, itchy scalp, dizziness, nausea and possible increased blood clotting time.
Alzheimer's Disease
Researchers Wang and Zho at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine found that mice fed an extract of cabernet sauvignon grape seeds had less cognitive deterioration. After five months of treatment, the mice performed better on maze tests for cognitive function and had fewer deposits of amyloid--a protein that forms plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's patients--than a control group that did not receive the grape seed extract.
Breast Cancer
The Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte California demonstrated through research, in 2003, that components of red wine inhibit the conversion of androgens to estrogen in breast cancer, thereby decreasing the levels of estrogens and the overall risk of breast cancer. These researchers conclude that one four-ounce glass of red wine per day may have sufficient activity to inhibit this conversion of androgens in the average post-menopausal woman.
Cardiovascular Disease
Proanthocyanidin compounds in grape seed extract have a role in reducing cardiovascular disease via their antioxidant properties, reducing free radicals and oxidative stress on blood vessels and lipid components of the blood. Research published in "Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis," February-March 2003, showed that these compounds have greater antioxidant properties than vitamins C, E and beta-carotene in protecting against conditions such as congestive heart failure, valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathy, hypertrophy, atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease. Reduction in DNA damage and tissue damage, as well as reduction in foam cells--an indicator of atherosclerosis--was noted.
Colon Cancer
High doses of grape seed extract were seen to have significant value in inhibiting colon cancer cell growth in research published in the June 2010 "British Journal of Nutrition." The researchers found that cancer cell death was induced through several different mechanisms, with dramatic results. This study looked at different sources of grapes to determine whether certain strains possess higher antioxidant properties and concluded that low and intermediate dosages of 25ug/ml and 50 ug/ml, showed a difference in the rates of cancer cell inhibition, whereas high doses of all tested strains produced similar effects.
Antibacterial
Antibiotic resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus were tested with grape seed and grape skin extracts, according to research published in the 2010 "Journal of Toxicological Science." The grape extracts effectively killed all strains of the bacteria at concentrations of 3 mg/ml, by disrupting bacterial cell walls. The researchers concluded that the degree of effectiveness of this commonly available substance is promising for management of methicilin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MSRA.
References
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Grape Seed Extract May Help Prevent and Treat Alzheimer's
- National Institutes of Health: Breast Cancer Implications of the Suppression of Estrogen Formation by Components of Red Wine and Grape Seeds
- Science Direct: Molecular mechanisms of cardioprotection by a novel grape seed proanthocyanidin extract
- National Institutes of Health: Apoptosis-inducing factor triggered by grape seed extracts
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Grape Seed Extract
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