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Whar Are Resveratrol Grapes?

More than a decade ago, resveratrol was discovered as a component of red grape skins that acted as a natural antidote to cancer. Resveratrol, a plant antibiotic, is released by several species of plants in response to pathogenic invasions, and has been speculated as the cause of the French Paradox. Despite having a diet high in saturated fats, southern European nations such as France and Italy demonstrate a significantly lower incidence of coronary heart disease. Scientists have related this phenomenon to the moderate concentration of resveratrol in red wine, which acts both as an anti-cancer agent and an anti-inflammatory agent.

What Are Resveratrol Grapes?

But what exactly is resveratrol, and how does it function? Resveratrol is a phytoalexin, or plant antibiotic, that is found in particular abundance in the skins of muscadine grapes. In fact, muscadine wines contain five times the normal amount of resveratrol than regular red wines. In purified form, the compound is a white powder with a slight yellow tinge. Studies conducted by a group of researchers working for Nature Journal in 2003 showed that resveratrol's ability to counteract the detrimental effects of a high-fat diet was based on its opposition of the alteration of the 144 and 155 gene pathways changed by a high- fat diet. Scientists hope that this discovery will be able to remedy the increasingly high-fat diet that is plaguing the American population.

Resveratrol Grape Extract: A Natural Cancer Fighting Compound?

More significant work has been done to identify the oncological benefits of resveratrol. A report on the work appears in the July 2000 issue of Cancer Research, where it is explained that trans-resveratrol, or Res, turns off NF-kappa B, a protein that prevents cancer cells from being killed by the body. The benefits of resveratrol are evident and clear in small rodents and invertebrates. Perhaps in the future, research can be done to identify the real potential benefits resveratrol may have for human beings.

Last Updated: September 1, 2010