Wine and Vine Components and Health

Abstract

"While there is a tremendous literature on the topic of wine and health ranging back to the days of Hippocrates, it is considered that there is an unlimited variety of wine, allowing the association of senses, nutrition, and hedonism. The history of vine and wine has lasted for at least 7000 years. Vitis, an adaptable plant, thanks to a large variety of strains; wine is an alchemie with unique properties; a rich and original composition in terms of polyphenols, and well known anti-oxidants. This explains why wine and health are closely linked to nutrition.

In terms of biochemical mechanisms, vine like other plants produce numerous non-energy compounds, called secondary metabolites (e.g., flavonoids, polyphenols), in order to adapt their defenses against often unfavorable environment (biotic and non-biotic stresses), Interestingly, in humans and in the animals kingdom these microconstituents provide similar valuable bioactive properties for essential cell and physiological function (signaling, gene regulation, prevention of acquired or infectious disease, etc). These compounds have been selected through evolution and are generally preserved in all living beings. For instance, resveratrol that plays an essential role in vine plants as elicitor of the natural defenses has been shown to be a protector of health in humans. It could delay, or even block, the appearance of predominant diseases such as atherosclerosis by protecting low-density lipoproteins from the oxidation, but also diabetes and cancer.

Grape, fresh or dried, is a widely consumed fruit by large human populations, as also its by-products, like grape juice and wine, even extracts of vine leaves and shoot use. They contain vast and highly varied quantities of polyphenols as protective micronutrient. Wine, provide unique polyphenols: for instance, resveratrol, procyanidines and monophenols such as hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol. The research supports the idea that wine, a natural biological product, if consumed regularly, but without excess, possesses preventive properties, not only its well-known properties against vascular diseases (illustrated by the so-called French paradox) but also may prevent infections, decrease inflammation, delay neurodegenerative diseases. The question about cancer is still open."