Wine polyphenols and promotion of cardiac health

An Overview on Flavor Extraction, Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Significance, and Production of Herbal Wines

Wine has been utilized as a source for medicinal preparations, combined with various herbs, to treat particular ailments and disorders. By utilizing herb extracts, regular but limited consumption of these herbal wines helps to decrease the need for prescription medications to treat a variety of ailments. The diversity and the composition of the yeast micropopulation significantly contribute to the sensory characteristics of wine. A particular metabolic activity characterizes the growth of each wine yeast species, which determines the concentrations of flavor compounds in the final wine. Numerous herbs, such as tulsi, ginger, aloe vera, tea, amla, lemongrass, and peppermint, are used in the preparation of herbal wines, where either the herb or herbal blends are primarily used as the substrate. The variants provided improved accuracy, increased acceptability, and broader uses for the novel product. Herbal wines pave the way to provide nutraceuticals to consumers and protection against pathogenic microorganisms and inflammation through their richness in antioxidants. The existing herbal wines and their health advantages are discussed in this Review, along with some new directions for the herbal wine business.

Health-promoting peptides in fermented beverages

Since ancient times, the consumption of fermented low-alcoholic beverages has enjoyed widespread popularity in various countries, because of their distinct flavors and health benefits. Several studies have demonstrated that light to moderate alcohol consumption is associated with beneficial effects on human health, mainly in cardiovascular disease prevention. Fermented beverages have different non-ethanol components that confer beneficial health effects. These bioactive compounds are mainly peptides that have often been overlooked or poorly explored in numerous fermented beverages. The aim of this review is to provide knowledge and generate interest in the biological activities of peptides that are present and/or released during the fermentation process of widely consumed traditional fermented beverages. Additionally, a brief description of the microorganisms involved in these beverages is provided. Furthermore, this review also explores topics related to the detection, isolation, and identification of peptides, addressing the structure-activity relationships of both antioxidant and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory (ACE-I) activities.

Structure-antiradical activity relationships of 25 natural antioxidant phenolic compounds from different classes

In this study, 11 hydroxybenzoic acids, 6 hydroxycinnamic acids, 6 flavonoids, and 2 synthetic phenolic antioxidants were evaluated according to their scavenging capacity and structure relationships. The IC50 was calculated for all compounds and the effects of the concentration of antioxidant and the length of the reaction on antioxidant capacity were taken into consideration. Based on the data of tested phenolics some structure-activity relationships were suggested and discussed in detail. Poor correspondence of the results between ABTS+• and DPPH• assays was attained, indicating that the antioxidant properties of each compound differ with regards to the applied method. Nevertheless, it can be argued that the number of electron-donating substituents (-OH and -OCH3) and their configuration has a significant impact on the antioxidant capacity. Undoubtedly, concerns about the reliability of these assays demand further in-depth investigations to give detailed insight into the structure and antioxidant activity relationships.

Efficacy of resveratrol in male urogenital tract dysfunctions: an evaluation of pre-clinical data

Resveratrol is a polyphenol found naturally in fruits and plants. Recently, studies in humans and animal models have suggested beneficial properties of this polyphenol, such as improvements to metabolic and lipid profiles, along with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects. In the urogenital tract (UGT), resveratrol has also been tested clinically and experimentally as a therapeutic drug in several diseases; however, the translational efficacy of resveratrol, especially in UGT, is still a matter of debate. In the present review, we address the pre-clinical efficacy of resveratrol in UGT-related dysfunctions, focusing on lower urinary tract symptoms, non-cancerous prostatic disease (benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatitis) and erectile dysfunction. In vitro studies indicate that resveratrol reduces inflammatory markers and oxidative stress, and improves endothelial function in UGT organs and cells isolated from humans and animals. Despite displaying low oral bioavailability, in vivo administration of resveratrol largely improves erectile dysfunction, benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostatitis and voiding impairments, as evidenced in different animal models. Resveratrol also acts as a microbiota modulator, which may explain some of its beneficial effects in vivo. In contrast to the large amount of pre-clinical data, there are insufficient clinical trials to establish resveratrol treatment efficacy in human UGT-related diseases. In summary, we provide an overview of the in vivo and in vitro efficacy of resveratrol in animal and human UGT dysfunctions, which may support future clinical trials.

Diversity of Italian red wines: A study by enological parameters, color, and phenolic indices

An extensive survey was conducted on 110 Italian monovarietal red wines from a single vintage to determine their standard compositional, color, and phenolic characteristics, analysing more than 35 parameters evaluated through methods commonly used in the wine industry. 'Primitivo' achieved the highest average alcohol strength (15.4% v/v) and dry extract values, while 'Cannonau' showed the lowest total acidity. 'Corvina' had the lowest phenolic content (1065 mg/L by Folin-Ciocalteu assay), remarkably different from the highest found in 'Sagrantino' (3578 mg/L), the latter being also the richest variety in both proanthocyanidins and vanillin-reactive flavanols. 'Teroldego' wines were the richest in both total and monomeric anthocyanins (702 and 315 mg/L, respectively), followed by 'Aglianico' and 'Raboso Piave', while 'Corvina', 'Nebbiolo', and 'Nerello Mascalese' were the poorest. 'Montepulciano' and 'Sangiovese' showed intermediate values for the majority of the parameters analyzed. A multivariate PCA-DA approach allowed achieving both a classification of the different wines as well as the discrimination of 'Sangiovese' wines produced in two regions (Emilia Romagna and Toscana) that returned a 42-66% success rate depending on the zone considered. Taking into account the number and diversity of the wines analyzed, a correlation study helped in better understanding the underlying relations between the most common and widespread analytical techniques for phenolic and color determinations.

Identification and quantification of new isomers of isopropyl-malic acid in wine by LC-IT and LC-Q-Orbitrap

Organic acids of wine comprise one of the main taste groups, that of sourness. Two isomeric compounds with molecular weight of 176 u have been identified in wine using two LC-MS systems, LC-IT (ion trap) and LC-Q-Orbitrap. The two isomers are organic acids, 3-isopropylmalic acid (3-IPMA) never identified in wines, and 2-isopropylmalic acid (2-IPMA), never quantified in wines. After the definitive identification against the authentic standards, an analytical method for their determination in wines was optimised and validated using the LC-IT platform. Linearity was verified in the range 5-320 mg L^-1 (correlation coefficients higher than 0.9914) and the recoveries obtained spiking the samples at two fortification levels were higher than 86.7%, with RSDs (n = 9) lower than 15.1%. Finally, the two compounds were quantified in ten red and white Italian wines, and average concentrations were determined at 1.78 mg L^-1 (0.56-4.13) and 23.0 mg L^-1 (6.7-41.6) of 3-IPMA and 2-IPMA, respectively.

Effect of Sulfites on Antioxidant Activity, Total Polyphenols, and Flavonoid Measurements in White Wine

Polyphenols content and antioxidant activity are directly related to the quality of wine. Wine also contains sulfites, which are added during the winemaking process. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of sulfites on the assays commonly used to measure the antioxidant activity and polyphenols and flavonoids content of white wines. The effects of sulfites were explored both in the standard assays and in white wine. The addition of sulfites (at 1–10 μg) in the standard assays resulted in a significant, positive interference in the Folin–Ciocalteu’s assay used for polyphenols measurements and in both the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power and 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt radical cation decolorization assays, which were used for antioxidant activity evaluation. A negative interference of sulfites (at 1–20 μg) was observed for the colorimetric aluminium-chloride flavonoids assay. The addition of sulfites to organic white wines (at 25–200 mg/L wine) clearly resulted in a significant overestimation of antioxidant activity and polyphenols content, and in an underestimation of flavonoids concentration. To overcome sulfite interferences, white wines were treated with cross-linked polyvinylpyrrolidone. The total polyphenols content and antioxidant activity measurements obtained after polyvinylpyrrolidone treatment were significantly lower than those obtained in the untreated wines. Flavonoids were expected to be higher after polyvinylpyrrolidone treatment, but were instead found to be lower than for untreated wines, suggesting that in addition to sulfites, other non-phenolic reducing compounds were present in white wine and interfered with the flavonoid assay. In view of our results, we advise that a purification procedure should be applied in order to evaluate the quality of white wine.

Cool-Climate Red Wines-Chemical Composition and Comparison of Two Protocols for ¹H-NMR Analysis

This study investigates the metabolome of 26 experimental cool-climate wines made from 22 grape varieties using two different protocols for wine analysis by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR) spectroscopy. The wine samples were analyzed as-is (wet) and as dried samples. The NMR datasets were preprocessed by alignment and mean centering. No normalization or scaling was performed. The “wet” method preserved the inherent properties of the samples and provided a fast and effective overview of the molecular composition of the wines. The “dried” method yielded a slightly better sensitivity towards a broader range of the compounds present in wines. A total of 27 metabolites including amino acids, organic acids, sugars, and alkaloids were identified in the ¹H-NMR spectra of the wine samples. Principal component analysis was performed on both NMR datasets evidencing well-defined molecular fingerprints for ‘Baco Noir’, ‘Bolero’, ‘Cabernet Cantor’, ‘Cabernet Cortis’, ‘Don Muscat’, ‘Eszter’, ‘Golubok’, ‘New York Muscat’, ‘Regent’, ‘Rondo’, ‘Triomphe d’Alsace’, ‘Précose Noir’, and ‘Vinoslivy’ wines. Amongst the identified metabolites, lactic acid, succinic acid, acetic acid, gallic acid, glycerol, and methanol were found to drive sample groupings. The ¹H-NMR data was compared to the absolute concentration values obtained from a reference Fourier transform infrared method, evidencing a high correlation.

Nutritional immunology: function of natural killer cells and their modulation by resveratrol for cancer prevention and treatment

Natural killer (NK) cells as part of the innate immune system represent the first line of defence against (virus-) infected and malignantly transformed cells. The emerging field of nutritional immunology focuses on compounds featuring immune-modulating activities in particular on NK cells, which e.g. can be exploited for cancer prevention and treatment. The plant-based nutrition resveratrol is a ternary hydroxylated stilbene, which is present in many foods and beverages, respectively. In humans it comprises a large variety of distinct biological activities. Interestingly, resveratrol strongly modulates the immune response including the activity of NK cells. This review will give an overview on NK cell functions and summarize the resveratrol-mediated modulation thereof.

Chronocoulometry of wine on multi-walled carbon nanotube modified electrode: Antioxidant capacity assay

Phenolic antioxidants of wine were electrochemically oxidized on multi-walled carbon nanotubes modified glassy carbon electrode (MWNT/GCE) in phosphate buffer solution. Three oxidation peaks were observed at 0.39, 0.61 and 0.83V for red dry wine and 0.39, 0.80 and 1.18 V for white dry wine, respectively, using differential pulse voltammetry at pH 4.0. The oxidation potentials for individual phenolic antioxidants confirmed the integral nature of the analytical signals for the wines examined. A one-step chronocoulometric method at 0.83 and 1.18 V for red and white wines, respectively, has been developed for the evaluation of wine antioxidant capacity (AOC). The AOC is expressed in gallic acid equivalents per 1L of wine. The AOC of white wine was significantly less than red wine (386 ± 112 vs. 1224 ± 184, p<0.0001), as might be expected. Positive correlations were observed between gallic acid equivalent AOC of wine and total antioxidant capacity, based on coulometric titration with electrogenerated bromine (r=0.8957 at n=5 and r=0.8986 at n=4 for red and white wines, respectively).

Assessment of some Australian red wines for price, phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and vintage in relation to functional food prospects

Twenty-three Cabernet Sauvignon wines from the Mudgee region and thirty-two Shiraz wines from the Hunter Valley region were analyzed for phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Concentrations of (+)-catechin, quercetin, and transresveratrol, total phenolic content, and DPPH antioxidant activity varied considerably, both within and between varieties. Individual phenols, total phenols, and antioxidant activity were correlated with price and vintage. Shiraz wines showed positive and significant correlations for catechin and quercetin concentrations with total phenols, antioxidant activity, and vintage; and for total phenols and antioxidant activity with vintage. Cabernet Sauvignon wines showed positive and significant correlations for quercetin concentration with total phenols and antioxidant activity. There was a negative and significant correlation found between price and antioxidant activity for Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Results are discussed in terms of the potential for wine to be considered a functional food.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

We report on potential health benefits (antioxidant activity) of 55 wines typical of 2 geographically close, but distinct, wine regions of Australia. Our results highlight the variability in functional components as an issue that needs further research and consideration in relation to wine as a functional food. The price of studied wines is not reflective of their health functionality, based on antioxidant activities.

Impact of short-term intake of red wine and grape polyphenol extract on the human metabolome

Red wine and grape polyphenols are considered to promote cardiovascular health and are involved in multiple biological functions. Their overall impact on the human metabolome is not known. Therefore, exogenous and endogenous metabolic effects were determined in fasting plasma and 24 h urine from healthy male adults consuming a mix of red wine and grape juice extracts (WGM) for 4 days in a placebo-controlled, crossover study. Syringic acid, 3-hydroxyhippuric acid, pyrogallol, 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, and 3-hydroxyphenylpropionic acid were confirmed as the strongest urinary markers of WGM intake. Overall, WGM had a mild impact on the endogenous metabolism. Most noticeable were changes in several amino acids deriving from tyrosine and tryptophan. Reductions in the microbial metabolites p-cresol sulfate and 3-indoxylsulfuric acid and increases in indole-3-lactic acid and nicotinic acid were observed in urine. In plasma, tyrosine was reduced. The results suggest that short-term intake of WGM altered microbial protein fermentation and/or amino acid metabolism.

Should Red Wine Be Considered a Functional Food?

  Functional foods may be regarded as foods that have nutritional value, but in particular, they also have beneficial effects on one or more body functions. Thus, functional foods may improve health and/or reduce the risk of developing certain diseases when taken in amounts that can be consumed in a normal diet. Based on nearly 2 decades of research since the term "French paradox" was first coined in 1992, wine would appear to fit this definition. Yet there seems to be reluctance to consider wine as a functional food. In this review, we present an overview of the accumulated evidence for the health benefits of wine-and its key phenolic components such as resveratrol, quercetin, catechin-and show that these alone are not enough to firmly establish wine as a functional food. What is required is to create clearly defined products based on wine that are targeted to consumers' needs and expectations when it comes to purchasing functional foods. Moreover, the crucial question of alcohol and health also needs to be addressed by the functional food industry. Suggestions are presented for working through this issue, but in many regards, wine is like any other food-it should be consumed sensibly and in amounts that are beneficial to health. Overindulgence of any kind does not promote good health.

Bioactivity and structure of biophenols as mediators of chronic diseases

Biophenols and their associated activity have generated intense interest. Current topics of debate are their bioavailability and bioactivity. It is generally assumed that their plasma concentrations are insufficient to produce the health benefits previously attributed to their consumption. However, data on localized in vivo concentrations are not available and many questions remain unanswered. Potential mechanisms by which they may exert significant bioactivity are discussed together with structure activity relationships. Biophenols are highly reactive species and they can react with a range of other compounds. Products of their reaction when functioning as antioxidants are examined.

Cocoa and health: a decade of research

It has been over 10 years since the first mention in a medical journal about cocoa and chocolate as potential sources of antioxidants for health. During this time, cocoa has been found to improve antioxidant status, reduce inflammation and correlate with reduced heart disease risk; with these results, and its popularity, it has received wide coverage in the press. However, after 10 years of research, what is known about the potential health benefits of cocoa and what are the important next steps in understanding this decadent source of antioxidants?

Transgenic wine yeast technology comes of age: is it time for transgenic wine?

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the main yeast responsible for alcoholic fermentation of grape juice during wine making. This makes wine strains of this species perfect targets for the improvement of wine technology and quality. Progress in winemaking has been achieved through the use of selected yeast strains, as well as genetic improvement of wine yeast strains through the sexual and pararexual cycles, random mutagenesis and genetic engineering. Development of genetically engineered wine yeasts, their potential application, and factors affecting their commercial viability will be discussed in this review.