Biological Effects of Resveratrol and Other Constituents of Wine

Overview

In recent years many scientific papers have been published concerning the positive effects of wineand its active principles, the polyphenol resveratrol being the most widely discussed compound. Theresults of epidemiological and experimental studies in man, animals, and in vitro have shown thatpolyphenols contained in wine, tea, fruit, and vegetables exert a positive effect on both the progressionand regression of atherosclerosis, possess an anticancerogenic action, and due to theirantioxidative effects they act against other processes connected with the reactive forms of oxygenproduction and lipid peroxydation in the blood plasma and membranes. Experimental findings haveshown that resveratrol protects the cardiovascular system, affects lipid metabolism, and inhibitslow-density lipoproteins (LDL) oxidation and blood platelet aggregation. In addition, this naturalproduct is able to inhibit the growth of some tumours and possesses antiinflammatory propertiesand a number of other biological effects. This report aims to describe and characterize in a summarythe biological properties of the principal active principles of wine – flavonoids and polyphenols, witha detailed focus on resveratrol, which has been described as the most interesting agent.

Key words:
polyphenols – resveratrol – antioxidative effect