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Source: Ohio State University Released: Wed 08-Dec-2004, 09:00 ET
New Heart Benefits to Drinking Red Wine
RED WINE HEART CARDIAC FIBROSIS ANTIOXIDANT RESVERATOL
New research on rat heart cells suggests that a well-known antioxidant found in
red wine, called resveratrol, may benefit heart tissue by limiting the effects
of a condition called cardiac fibrosis.
Newswise — New research on rat heart cells suggests that a well-known
antioxidant found in red wine, called resveratrol, may benefit heart tissue by
limiting the effects of a condition called cardiac fibrosis.
Diseases such as hypertension and heart failure can cause fibrosis, a hardening
or stiffening of the heart tissue. This condition arises when heart cells
called cardiac fibroblasts are activated. These cells secrete collagen, a
protein that provides structural support for the heart.
Overactive cardiac fibroblasts cause fibrosis of the heart tissue, which then
loses its ability to efficiently pump blood, said Joshua Bomser, a study
co-author and an assistant professor of human nutrition at Ohio State
University.
While resveratrol is already known for helping to prevent blood clots and also
possibly reducing cholesterol, this is the first time that scientists have
studied the compound's direct effects on these heart cells.
The study currently appears online on the American Journal of Physiology –
Heart and Circulatory Physiology website. Bomser worked with a team of
researchers from the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, led by
J. Gary Meszaros.
In the current study, treating rat cardiac fibroblasts cells with resveratrol
prevented the actions of a potent hormone called angiotensin II. In the case of
hypertension and heart failure, angiotensin II is produced at a high level,
which is the body's way of trying to repair damage to the heart and to increase
blood pressure.
But the plan usually backfires, as the hormone causes cardiac fibroblast
production to go into overdrive, and, as a result, these cells produce
excessive amounts of collagen – a fibrous substance found in bone, tendons,
ligaments and other connective tissues.
"This hyper-secretion of collagen leads to a stiffening of the heart muscle,"
Bomser said. "So the heart has to work harder to pump blood, which causes
further damage to the myocardium."
The researchers pretreated rat cardiac fibroblasts with resveratrol prior to
adding angiotensin II to the cells. Resveratrol treatment inhibited angiotensin
II's ability to cause growth and proliferation of the cardiac fibroblasts.
Resveratrol also prevented these cells from turning, or differentiating, into
myofibroblasts, a specialized type of fibroblast that produces large quantities
of collagen.
"These results suggest that resveratrol has anti-fibrotic properties in the
myocardium," Bomser said.
While the researchers can't say how much resveratrol is needed to be
beneficial, previous studies suggest that drinking red wine in moderation –
one or two five-ounce glasses a day – may offer protective effects. The
amount of resveratrol in a bottle of red wine can vary between types of grapes
and growing seasons, according to the researchers. But nearly all dark red
wines – merlot, cabernet, zinfandel, shiraz and pinot noir – contain
resveratrol.
This study received support from the American Heart Association – Ohio Valley
Affiliate, and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center.
Bomser and Meszaros conducted the study with NEOUCOM graduate students Erik
Olson, Jennifer Naugle and Xiaojin Zhang.
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© 2004 Newswise. All Rights Reserved.
Who loves ya.
Tom
Jesus Was A Vegetarian! http://jesuswasavegetarian.7h.com
Man Is A Herbivore! http://pages.ivillage.com/ironjustice/manisaherbivore
DEAD PEOPLE WALKING http://pages.ivillage.com/ironjustice/deadpeoplewalking
New Heart Benefits to Drinking Red Wine
RED WINE HEART CARDIAC FIBROSIS ANTIOXIDANT RESVERATOL
New research on rat heart cells suggests that a well-known antioxidant found in
red wine, called resveratrol, may benefit heart tissue by limiting the effects
of a condition called cardiac fibrosis.
Newswise — New research on rat heart cells suggests that a well-known
antioxidant found in red wine, called resveratrol, may benefit heart tissue by
limiting the effects of a condition called cardiac fibrosis.
Diseases such as hypertension and heart failure can cause fibrosis, a hardening
or stiffening of the heart tissue. This condition arises when heart cells
called cardiac fibroblasts are activated. These cells secrete collagen, a
protein that provides structural support for the heart.
Overactive cardiac fibroblasts cause fibrosis of the heart tissue, which then
loses its ability to efficiently pump blood, said Joshua Bomser, a study
co-author and an assistant professor of human nutrition at Ohio State
University.
While resveratrol is already known for helping to prevent blood clots and also
possibly reducing cholesterol, this is the first time that scientists have
studied the compound's direct effects on these heart cells.
The study currently appears online on the American Journal of Physiology –
Heart and Circulatory Physiology website. Bomser worked with a team of
researchers from the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, led by
J. Gary Meszaros.
In the current study, treating rat cardiac fibroblasts cells with resveratrol
prevented the actions of a potent hormone called angiotensin II. In the case of
hypertension and heart failure, angiotensin II is produced at a high level,
which is the body's way of trying to repair damage to the heart and to increase
blood pressure.
But the plan usually backfires, as the hormone causes cardiac fibroblast
production to go into overdrive, and, as a result, these cells produce
excessive amounts of collagen – a fibrous substance found in bone, tendons,
ligaments and other connective tissues.
"This hyper-secretion of collagen leads to a stiffening of the heart muscle,"
Bomser said. "So the heart has to work harder to pump blood, which causes
further damage to the myocardium."
The researchers pretreated rat cardiac fibroblasts with resveratrol prior to
adding angiotensin II to the cells. Resveratrol treatment inhibited angiotensin
II's ability to cause growth and proliferation of the cardiac fibroblasts.
Resveratrol also prevented these cells from turning, or differentiating, into
myofibroblasts, a specialized type of fibroblast that produces large quantities
of collagen.
"These results suggest that resveratrol has anti-fibrotic properties in the
myocardium," Bomser said.
While the researchers can't say how much resveratrol is needed to be
beneficial, previous studies suggest that drinking red wine in moderation –
one or two five-ounce glasses a day – may offer protective effects. The
amount of resveratrol in a bottle of red wine can vary between types of grapes
and growing seasons, according to the researchers. But nearly all dark red
wines – merlot, cabernet, zinfandel, shiraz and pinot noir – contain
resveratrol.
This study received support from the American Heart Association – Ohio Valley
Affiliate, and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center.
Bomser and Meszaros conducted the study with NEOUCOM graduate students Erik
Olson, Jennifer Naugle and Xiaojin Zhang.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
------
© 2004 Newswise. All Rights Reserved.
Who loves ya.
Tom
Jesus Was A Vegetarian! http://jesuswasavegetarian.7h.com
Man Is A Herbivore! http://pages.ivillage.com/ironjustice/manisaherbivore
DEAD PEOPLE WALKING http://pages.ivillage.com/ironjustice/deadpeoplewalking