While not encouraging alcohol consumption, MayoClinic.com infers that drinking a glass of red wine daily may boost heart health. Besides the alcohol content, the cardiac protector in red wine comes from the extract, or tannin, of the grape skin. Certain plants and berries contain a chemical tannin substance called polyphenols, such as resveratrol, that are claimed to have positive effects on the immune and cardiovascular systems.
Antioxidant Properties
The effects of resveratrol include a potent antioxidant property, which can boost health and assist the immune system's functioning. Antioxidants negate the free radicals, or waste products, in the body. According to studies by the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, resveratrol can stop the free radicals from attacking healthy cells.
Anti-Inflammatory Agent
Resveratrol acts upon the inflammatory enzyme chain that causes inflammatory responses throughout the body. By stopping the enzymes responsible for initiating the inflammatory sequence, resveratrol could inhibit this response that contributes to autoimmune disorders. A 2010 study in "Cancer Prevention Research," conducted by Xiangli Cui and colleagues, showed that daily doses of resveratrol decreased the inflammation associated with ulcerative colitis, a painful autoimmune disease of the intestines.
Protect Against Heart Disease
The Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University states that resveratrol can decrease platelet function and the ability for white blood cells to contribute to the development of atherosclerosis. Platelets sticking together, or aggregating, in coronary arteries can lead to myocardial infarction and stroke. Developing atherosclerosis is an indication of heart disease and can lead to myocardial infarction.
Cancer Prevention Research
Although not tested in humans, resveratrol is showing promise as a cancer-fighter in studies involving mice. The Cui study in "Cancer Prevention Research" showed a tumor incidence decrease--from 80 percent to 20 percent--when mice were given high doses of resveratrol. Resveratrol has effects on T cells, or cancer fighting cells, as well as estrogenic effects for estrogen-stimulated cancers such as breast cancer. Its efficacy as a cancer-fighter in humans, however, remains to be declared.
References
- "Molecular Pharmacology"; Resveratrol (trans-3,5,4′-Trihydroxystilbene) Ameliorates Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis, Primarily via Induction of Apoptosis in T Cells Involving Activation of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor and Estrogen Receptor; Narendra P. Singh et al.; December 2007
- "Cancer Prevention Research"; Resveratrol Suppresses Colitis and Colon Cancer Associated with Colitis; Xiangli Cui et al.; April 2010
- Oregon State University, Linus Pauling Institute: Resveratrol
- MayoClinic.com: Red Wine and Resveratrol: Good For Your Heart?
Member Comments