Posted on 11/05/2005 2:30:20 PM PST by nickcarraway
A study published in the November 11 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry shows that resveratrol, a compound found in grapes and red wine, lowers the levels of the amyloid-beta peptides which cause the telltale senile plaques of Alzheimer's disease.
"Resveratrol is a natural polyphenol occurring in abundance in several plants, including grapes, berries and peanuts," explains study author Philippe Marambaud. "The polyphenol is found in high concentrations in red wines. The highest concentration of resveratrol has been reported in wines prepared from Pinot Noir grapes. Generally, white wines contain 1% to 5% of the resveratrol content present in most red wines."
One of the characteristic features of Alzheimer's disease is the deposition of amyloid-beta peptides in the brain. Philippe Marambaud and his colleagues at the Litwin-Zucker Research Center for the Study of Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders in Manhasset, New York, administered resveratrol to cells which produce human amyloid-beta and tested the compound's effectiveness by monitoring amyloid-beta levels inside and outside the cells. They found that levels of amyloid-beta in the treated cells were much lower than those in untreated cells.
The researchers believe the compound acts by stimulating the degradation of amyloid-beta peptides by the proteasome, a barrel-shaped multi-protein complex that can specifically digest proteins into short polypeptides and amino acids.
However, eating grapes may not be a cure for Alzheimer's disease. "It is difficult to know whether the anti-amyloidogenic effect of resveratrol observed in cell culture systems can support the beneficial effect of specific diets such as eating grapes," cautions Marambaud. "Resveratrol in grapes may never reach the concentrations required to obtain the effect observed in our studies. Grapes and wine however contain more than 600 different components, including well-characterized antioxidant molecules. Therefore, we cannot exclude the possibility that several compounds work in synergy with small amounts of resveratrol to slow down the progression of the neurodegenerative process in humans."
Following up on their studies, Marambaud and his colleagues are trying to figure out how resveratrol exerts its effects in order to develop similar compounds to use in fighting Alzheimer's disease. "Our long-term goal is now to elucidate the exact molecular mechanisms involved in the beneficial properties of resveratrol as a necessary prerequisite to the identification of novel molecular targets and therapeutic approaches," says Marambaud. "The observation that resveratrol has a strong anti-amyloidogenic activity is a powerful starting point for screening analogues of resveratrol for more active and more stable compounds, a task in which our laboratory is actively involved. We have already obtained analogues of resveratrol that are 20 times more potent than the original natural compound. We are now aiming to find more stable analogues and to test them in vivo in mice."
Additional good news is that resveratrol may also be effective in fighting other human amyloid-related diseases such as Huntington's, Parkinson's and prion diseases. Studies by a group at the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale in Paris, France headed by Christian Néri have recently shown that resveratrol may protect neurons against amyloid-like polyglutamines, a hallmark of Huntington's disease.
### The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) is a nonprofit scientific and educational organization with over 11,000 members in the United States and internationally. Most members teach and conduct research at colleges and universities. Others conduct research in various government laboratories, nonprofit research institutions, and industry.
Founded in 1906, the Society is based in Bethesda, Maryland, on the campus of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. The Society's primary purpose is to advance the sciences of biochemistry and molecular biology through its publications, the Journal of Biological Chemistry, the Journal of Lipid Research, Molecular and Cellular Proteomics, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, and the holding of scientific meetings.
You'll want something that's not too tannic, unless you go for double brewed black coffee, in which case a wine with a strong backbone of tannic acid will suit you quite well. But let's assume your tastes run more in line with the other 99% of the population.
At the beggining of the day your senses tend to fall into one of two categories; they are either slightly dull or a little on the hypersensitive side. Let's assume that, since you are posting on Free Republic in the evening, your senses are sharper later in the day and start slowly.
This would indicate that a fine wine, subtle and imbued with complexity, would be wasted at breakfast and that a simpler table wine would be a better fit.
For breakfast you'll definitely want something on the fruity side, perhaps with hints of coffee, leather and tobacco.
I suggest a Central Coast (California) Zinfandel. Specifically, the Tobin James, Late Harvest, "Liquid Love" Zinfandel. Born of hot Paso Robles days and cool evening breezes, with an alcohol content approaching 17%, it will stroke your palate, open your eyes, and put you well down the road toward a day filled with satisfaction and achievement.
It's jammy to the max and just right with that english muffin you covet in the morning, but will stand up to heavier fare when you indulge yourself with bacon and eggs, oatmeal, or a full side of grits with butter.
Order it by the case at discount or spoil yourself with a James Gang membership for an even better price, and don't miss the barbeque, the wine flows profusely and the loin tri-tip coming off the grill will be remembered for years to come, thanks to the generous helpings of resveratrol you will be consuming each and every morning.
Pingo.
I love it when you talk dirty.
A keeper!
No, not the same thing at all, LOL
Please, and thanks.
Old Patatrooper Chant:
What's the word?
THUNDER BIRD!!
What's the price?
50 TWICE!
How do we drink it?
IN A CUP!
What's it get you?
ALL F***ED UP!
Morning thanks. . .and 'cheers' as well.
There's a reason people have been drinking wine since the dawn of time!
She should make you a peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich on whole wheat and give you a glass of Benton Hall Pinot Noir.
Of course since the resveratrol gets zapped by just opening the bottle, for health reasons you should just drink the whole bottle.
There a lot of great references to resvertatrol in pinot noir, peanut butter, grape jelly, the oxidation of resveratrol and why cool wet grape raising areas are better than our warm California areas in the link below:
http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?fr=ybr_sbc&p=resveratrol%20pinot%20noir
Polyphenols are a result of alcoholic fermentation. They aren't there as much before fermentation. In fact, phenols and polyphenols contribute a lot to a good red wine's structure and complexity.
My first guess would be that fresh grape juice will not get the same result.
I concur in spite of current advertising campaigns.
However the potato chips being consumed while surfing FR is more delightful than a natural laxative as in grape juice.
Nature can be cruel.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.