For more than a decade, medical scientists have been fascinated by studying the red wine ingredient, resveratrol. This phytochemical, or chemical found in plants, is a potent antioxidant that appears in the seeds and skins of grapes, as well as in other fruits with dark skin, like blueberries, strawberries, and pomegranates. Many studies have shown that the benefits of resveratrol may be numerous, ranging from improving wrinkled skin, to assisting in weight loss, to the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, to the possibility of extending the human lifespan.
The September 2009 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research will carry a mini-review of recent findings on red wine’s polyphenols, especially resveratrol. Lindsay Brown, of the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, who is corresponding author for the study, emphasizes that the benefits of alcohol and thus, the benefits of resveratrol are all about moderation. Overindulgence, even in red wine, can initiate multiple organ damage; while red wine, taken in moderation, seems to provide protection against most of the diseases of aging that are causes of mortality.
One of the most exciting findings of the Queensland study, and one that has been independently verified by numerous other studies in the past few years, is that resveratrol and cancer appear to have a connection. Although further rigorous testing in many organs will still be necessary for conclusive proof, Brown says, high doses of resveratrol increase the process of apoptosis or programmed cell death to remove cellular debris high-dose resveratrol prevents cancers. Apoptosis is defined as a form of cell death in which a programmed sequence of events leads to the elimination of cells without releasing harmful substances into the surrounding area. Sometimes called cell suicide, apoptosis enables the human body to replace something like one million cells per second. The process gets rid of old or unhealthy cells, as well as cells that are unnecessary; but to maintain health, it is critical that just the right amount of apoptosis should take place. Thus, a high dose of resveratrol prevents cancers by tipping the delicate balance of apoptosis and killing cancerous cells.
Currently in press, and due to be published soon in Cancer Letters 2009, is an article titled Resveratrol and Chemopreventio S.K. Goswami and D.K. Das. These authors remind us that estrogen has often been associated with breast cancer in the scientific literature. They point to the fact that in breast cancer resveratrol binds to estrogen receptors and prevents estrogen’s function of inducing proliferation of human breast cancer cells.
The benefits of resveratrol have also been documented in other forms of cancer. For example, in a recent study at the University of Wisconsin, researchers determined that a topical preparation of resveratrol had chemo-preventive properties that protected against skin damage from ultraviolet-B (UVB) rays. Thus, as a preventative for skin cancer resveratrol significantly inhibited various established markers of tumor production.
In a 2008 study at the University of Rochester Medical Centre on pancreatic cancer resveratrol was found not only to cause apoptosis, but also to deprive cancer cells of their energy source. Chief of Radiation Oncology Dr. Paul Okunieff, who headed the study, stated: Resveratrol seems to have a therapeutic gain by making tumor cells more sensitive to radiation, and making normal tissue less sensitive. Researchers induced apoptosis by pre-treating cancer cells with resveratrol prior to irradiation. One of the additional benefits of resveratrol observed in this study was that resveratrol was able to reach and react with the mitochondria. Mitochondria convert nutrients into energy in the body, and are the main source of power for the cell when fully functioning. Since resveratrol can stop the flow of power to the cell, it can therefore help stop pancreatic cancer.
Clinical trials will be necessary to confirm these data gleaned from laboratory studies. However, it seems certain from these and many other studies that the benefits of resveratrol are important, when it comes to prevention and treatment of various cancers. The red wine ingredient resveratrol may be one of our most promising future treatments for cancer. Keep an eye on it!