THE HISTORY, SCIENCE, AND ART OF WINE AND THE CASE FOR HEALTH BENEFITS: PERSPECITIVES OF AN OENOPHILIC CARDIOVASCULAR PATHOLOGIST

Interaction between resveratrol and SIRT1: role in neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease, pose significant health challenges and economic burdens worldwide. Recent studies have emphasized the potential therapeutic value of activating silent information regulator-1 (SIRT1) in treating these conditions. Resveratrol, a compound known for its ability to potently activate SIRT1, has demonstrated promising neuroprotective effects by targeting the underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration. In this review, we delve into the crucial role of resveratrol-mediated SIRT1 upregulation in improving neurodegenerative diseases. The role of the activation of SIRT1 by resveratrol was reviewed. Moreover, network pharmacology was used to elucidate the possible mechanisms of resveratrol in these diseases. Activation of SIRT1 by resveratrol had positive effects on neuronal function and survival and alleviated the hallmark features of these diseases, such as protein aggregation, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. In terms of network pharmacology, the signaling pathways by which resveratrol protects against different neurodegenerative diseases were slightly different. Although the precise mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effects of resveratrol and SIRT1 activation remain under investigation, these findings offer valuable insights into potential therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases.

Prevention of Metabolic Syndrome by Phytochemicals and Vitamin D

In recent years, attention has focused on the roles of phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables in maintaining and improving the intestinal environment and preventing metabolic syndrome. A high-fat and high-sugar diet, lack of exercise, and excess energy accumulation in the body can cause metabolic syndrome and induce obesity, diabetes, and disorders of the circulatory system and liver. Therefore, the prevention of metabolic syndrome is important. The current review shows that the simultaneous intake of phytochemicals contained in citruses and grapes together with vitamin D improves the state of gut microbiota and immunity, preventing metabolic syndrome and related diseases. Phytochemicals contained in citruses include polyphenols such as hesperidin, rutin, and naringin; those in grapes include quercetin, procyanidin, and oleanolic acid. The intake of these phytochemicals and vitamin D, along with prebiotics and probiotics, nurture good gut microbiota. In general, Firmicutes are obese-prone gut microbiota and Bacteroidetes are lean-prone gut microbiota; good gut microbiota nurture regulatory T cells, which suppress inflammatory responses and upregulate immunity. Maintaining good gut microbiota suppresses TNF-α, an inflammatory cytokine that is also considered to be a pathogenic contributor adipokine, and prevents chronic inflammation, thereby helping to prevent metabolic syndrome. Maintaining good gut microbiota also enhances adiponectin, a protector adipokine that prevents metabolic syndrome. For the prevention of metabolic syndrome and the reduction of various disease risks, the intake of phytochemicals and vitamin D will be important for human health in the future.

Protective Effects of Wine Polyphenols on Oxidative Stress and Hepatotoxicity Induced by Acrylamide in Rats

In recent years, it has been increasingly suggested that the consumption of natural polyphenols, in moderate amounts, is beneficial for health. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a red wine (the administered dose of 7 mL/kg/day being equivalent to ~16.5 mg/kg/day total polyphenols) compared to a white wine (the administered dose of 7 mL/kg/day being equivalent to ~1.7 mg/kg/day total polyphenols), on the prevention of acrylamide-induced subacute hepatic injury and oxidative stress in Wistar rats. Hepatic damage due to acrylamide intoxication (the administered dose being 250 µg/kg body weight, for 28 days, by intragastric gavage) was assessed by employing biochemical parameters (aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT)) and by histopathological studies. Markers of oxidative damage were measured in terms of plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), hepatic Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS) and glutathione (GSH) levels, and liver antioxidant enzyme (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)) activities. Regarding hepatic enzyme activities, treatment with red wine significantly decreased the AST values (p < 0.05), while for the ALT values only a normalization tendency was observed. Treatment with red wine and white wine, respectively, significantly prevented the increase in MDA and TBARS levels (p < 0.05), as well as the depletion of GSH (p < 0.05). Red wine treatment normalized the activities of the antioxidant enzymes CAT and SOD in rats intoxicated with acrylamide, while supplementing the diet with white wine did not produce significant differences in the antioxidant enzyme activities. Histopathological findings revealed a moderate protective effect of red wine after four weeks of daily consumption. Our findings provide evidence that red wine, having a higher phenolic content than white wine, has a significant protective effect on oxidative stress and liver injury induced by acrylamide in rats, through its antioxidative activity.