1. A Phytochemical With Health Benefits Found in Red Wine
Resveratrol
A Phytochemical With Health Benefits Found in Red Wine
Chem 11
Spring 2008

2. Resveratrol is a stilbene

3. Resveratrol

4. Resveratrol

5. Health Benefits of Phytochemicals
Antoxidant activity
Cancer inhibition
Cholestrol regulation
Anti-inflammatory activity

6. What are Antioxidants? What are Free Radicals?
They are substances that slow or prevent the oxidation of other molecules, particularly by such oxidizing agents as free radicals.
What are Free Radicals?
They are molecular or atomic species with one or more unpaired electrons making it very reactive.

7. Free Radicals Where do they come from?
Many are produced in the body from O2 as part of normal metabolic activity.
Most of the O2 is consumed in the electron chain transport, but some escapes this pathway.

8. Free Radical Formation
2O2 + NADPH 2O2- + NADP+ + H+ 2O2- + 2H+ dismutase H2O2 + O2 H2O2 + O2- + H+ H2O + O2 + OH

9. Effects of Free Radicals
Negative Effects
Aging
Cancer
Disruption of normal cell activities
Heart disease
Damage DNA
Positive Effects
The body uses the most dangerous free radicals for use in the immune system and in inflammatory reactions.

10. Other Sources of Free Radicals
Drugs
Air Pollution
Radiation, e.g. sunlight, TV and microwaves

11. Free radicals A common Free Radical is OH
This is created in body during normal metabolism in the ETC.

12. Free Radicals Attack Cellular Membranes
Free radicals break the double bonds of lipids found in cellular membranes:
-C=C- + OH C – C - OH OH

13. Antioxidants Mop Up Loose Free Radicals
+ OH
+ H2O OH OH O O
Antioxidant
Free Radical

14. Antioxidant Capabilities of Resveratrol

15. Research Studies Of Resveratrol
Studies are still in initial stages.
Anti-cancer, antiviral, neuroprotective, anti-aging and anti-inflammatory.
Anti-cancer – Resveratrol interfers with all three stages; it has anti-angiogenic properties
Anti-aging – enzyme SIR2 increases life span of yeast cell and Resveratrol increases its activity
Drinking a glass of red wine a day may cut a man's risk of prostate cancer in half.

16. Bottom Line
There may not be enough Resveratrol in a glass of wine to yield clinical benefits, but it’s like chicken soup … A little bit won’t hurt you and it might do you some good.

17. Works cited
National Cancer Institution. “Antioxidants and Cancer Prevention: Fact Sheet.” 2008 May 10. < cancertopics/factsheet/antioxidantsprevention>.
National Cancer Institution. “Red Wine and Cancer Prevention: Fact Sheet.” 2008 May 10. < cancertopics/factsheet/red-wine-and-cancer-prevention>.
“New Insights into the Mechanism of Action of Antioxidants.” 2008 May 10 < ada2002/Milner_ abstract.html>
Sharma, H. M.D., C. Clark, M.D. An excerpt from the medical textbook Contemporary Ayurveda. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, May 10.<
Silverthorn, Dee Unglaub. Human Physiology: An Integrated Approach. 4th ed. San Francisco: Pearson
Educaton Inc
J Bauer, D Sinclair, “Therapeutic potential of Resvertrol: the in vivo evidence”, National Revue Drug Discovery, 2006, 5(6): 494 – 506
K Huwitz, D Sinclair, “Small molecule activatiors of sirtuins extend Saccharomyces cerevisiae lifespan”, Nature, 2003 Sep 11: – 6
Ming-Tsan Lin, Men-Luh Yen, Chia-Yi Lin, and Min-Liang Kuo, “Inhibition of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-Induced Angiogenesis by Resveratrol through Interruption of Src-Dependent Vascular Endothelial Cadherin Tyrosine Phosphorylation”, Mol Pharmacol 2003, 64: