Resveratrol Antiviral
A Toast to Resveratrol, an Amazing Grape Antioxidant
One of the most popular stories on the benefits of eating fruit is called the French paradox â € "the condition of unexpected low incidence of cardiovascular disease in French citizens who regularly eat extraordinary amounts of foods rich fat and consume red wine. These people should technically have high rates of cardiovascular disease, but apparently protected by the chemicals in wine.
Although now recognized that diets high in fat are not desirable, the potential benefits of a whole foods diet rich in phytochemicals are clear when combined with other healthy diets and lifestyle practices, such as maintaining a regular exercise program.
Possibly the most phytochemical in red wine advertising Resveratrol is found in the skin and seeds of red and purple grapes and dark berries like blueberries. Have the chemical formula C14H12O3, resveratrol is a substance chemically defined as a stilbene, viniferin or phytoalexins (derived from a Greek term meaning "protect" (Alexin) or to "avoid").
This description fits the role of resveratrol in the outer skin of plants as a fungicide main antiviral agent with antioxidant properties powerful protection against ultraviolet radiation, pests and injuries. Resveratrol belongs to the general class of plant chemicals called phenols or polyphenols, appointed its composition of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms in the 6-carbon rings.
Benefits of resveratrol
By eating blue, red plants, purple and black skin rich in resveratrol, humans can get these benefits of protection. The first medical research proves that this is true, as has been demonstrated that resveratrol in the preliminary investigation of experimental animals:
â € ¢ Increase blood flow and reduce the size the brain cell damage after a stroke
â € ¢ Reduce the activity of mediators of brain inflammation in a disease model Alzheimer's
â € ¢ Reduce vascular plaque formation in rats fed a high fat diet
â € ¢ To improve the cure rate of skin wounds
â € ¢ Protects against lipid oxidation in a model of pancreatitis
â € ¢ Protects against cellular pathology a model of diabetic kidney disease
â € ¢ Protects against liver damage in a model of cholestasis or bile duct obstruction
â € ¢ Protects against the deterioration of cartilage in a model of osteoarthritis
â € ¢ Encourage anti-clotting mechanisms in blood
â € ¢ appetite suppression and in turn help control weight gain or loss
â € ¢ Increase sperm production
â € ¢ inhibit cataract formation
â € ¢ inhibit the proliferation of herpes simplex virus
â € ¢ prolong the life of cells yeast, worms, fish and fruit flies, possibly through mechanisms that affect aging through reduction in the rate of cell death
Anti-Cancer Effect
most pressing health effect of resveratrol demonstrated in laboratory studies is its broad spectrum activity against cancer. The online database of medical literature for the National Institutes of Health USA, PubMed, cites over 500 publications in the last decade of research on resveratrol as a cancer chemopreventive nutrient.
Experimental models of breast cancer, prostate, lung, blood, skin, brain, kidney, bladder, tongue, esophagus and colon cancer tests show the beneficial effects of resveratrol. They also appear to sensitize cells agents to cancer therapy, enhancing the benefits of these drugs. Moreover, when combined with other phenolic compounds derived from plants, actions of resveratrol against cancer appears to be higher, showing the potential benefits of antioxidant synergy with a mixed diet high in colorful fruits and vegetables rich in phytochemicals.
Resveratrol action to inhibit inflammatory mediators and growth of new blood vessels in tumors (called anti-angiogenesis), more capacity to accelerate the rate of cancer cell death (called apoptosis, "eh-po-toe-sis") are the synergistic effects of anti-cancer activity. In other experiments, resveratrol inhibits the enzyme synthesis nitro-oxygen radicals such as nitric oxide may be involved in cancer development.
In summary, resveratrol acts against the mechanisms that control the initiation, promotion and progression of tumor cell growth in experimental models. It is considered one of the most promising natural agents against cancer.
Fortunately for us, resveratrol can be easily introduced in the diet by selecting foods such as:
OR grapes and dark grape juice
OR wines (and even whites, but lower levels of resveratrol)
oBlackberries, blackberries, blueberries and cranberries (and their juices)
oPistachios
oPeanuts with skins and peanut butter
Take home message: eat berries! Drinking wine red! And be happy!
Reading
In PubMed http://pubmed.gov ; type "Resveratrol and" in the search space, add the item of interest, and click Go to see the literature.
Linus Pauling Institute, Center Micronutrient Information, Oregon State University, Corvallis, http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/
Copyright 2006 Berry Health Inc.
About the Author
Dr. Paul Gross is a scientist and expert on cardiovascular and brain physiology. A published researcher, Gross recently completed a book on the Chinese wolfberry and has begun another on antioxidant berries. Gross is founder of Berry Health Inc, a developer of nutritional, berry-based supplements. For more information, visit http://www.berrywiSEOnline.com
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