Red Wine
Part 8

A look at how resveratrol, a component of red wine, may be used to treat HD

A final word on resveratrol

The research on resveratrol looks extremely promising and this substance may one day be proven to combat many of the complications of HD. However, it is important to note that nearly all of the research on resveratrol has been done in test tubes and on rats, and this data may not necessarily apply to humans. As more studies are conducted, we will have a better idea about how resveratrol works and how much of an effect it can have on humans and, more specifically, humans with HD. Until then, one must seriously consider the risks of drinking red wine before consuming it in the hopes of deriving the benefits of resveratrol.

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-D. McGee, 01/11/05

For further reading:

1. Celotti, E. Resveratrol content of some wines obtained from dried Valpolicella grapes: Recioto and Amarone. Journal of Chromatography 730 (1996): 47-52. Online.
   This article is technical and it discusses the resveratrol content of specific wines.
2. Chanvitayapongs, S., Draczynska-Lusiak, B., and Sun AY. Amelioration of oxidative stress by antioxidants and resveratrol in PC12 cells. Neuroreport 8 (1997): 1499-1502.
   A technical paper that discusses the mechanisms through which resveratrol may act as an antioxidant.
3. Han, Y. et al. Neuroprotective effects of resveratrol against beta-amyloid-induced neurotoxicity in rat hippocampal neurons: involvement of protein kinase C. British Journal of Pharmacology 141.6 (2004): 997-1005.
   This study is of medium difficulty and it describes how resveratrol protected against beta-amyloids and saved nerve cells in rats.
4. Howitz, KT. et al. Small molecule activators of sirtuins extend Saccharomyces cerevisiae lifespan. Nature (2003) 191-196. Online.
   This is a scientific article of medium difficulty. It explains the study in which researchers discovered that the life span of yeast could be extended through the administration of resveratrol.
5. Kimura, Y., Okuda, H. and Arichi, S. Effects of silbenes on arachidonate metabolism in leukocytes. Biochem Biophys Acta 834 (1985): 275-278.
   A technical paper that describes how substances such as resveratrol may act as anti-inflammatories.
6. Miloso, M. et al. Resveratrol-induced activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases, ERK1 and ERK2, in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Neuroscience Letters 264 (1999): 141-144.
   This is a technical paper that describes the possible connection between resveratrol and the activation of MAP kinase pathways.
7. Orgogozo, J. et al. Wine consumption and dementia in the elderly: a prospective community study in the Bordeaux area. Rev Neurol 153 (1997): 185-192.
   This article is fairly easy to read and it suggests that there is a negative correlation between drinking red wine and suffering from Alzheimer’s.
8. Pace-Asciak, C., Hahn, S., Diamandis, E. P., Soleas, C., and Goldberg, D. M. The red wine phenolics trans-resveratrol and quercetin block human platelet aggregation and eicosanoid synthesis: implications for protection against coronary heart disease. Clin Chim Acta 235 (1995): 207-219.
   This is another technical paper that discusses a mechanism through which resveratrol may act to protect against heart disease.
9. Soleas, G., Diamandis, E., and Goldberg, D. Resveratrol: A molecule whose time has come? And gone?Clinical Biochemistry 30 (1997): 91-113. Online.
   This is a fairly easy-to-read article that discusses the research that has been done on the resveratrol content of red wine.
10. Zhunag, H. et al. Potential mechanism by which resveratrol, a red wine constituent, protects neurons. Ann NY Acad Sci 993 (2003): 276-286.
    This is a fairly technical article that discusses the possible connection between heme oxygenase and resveratrol.

Last Modified: 10/08/2007

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