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During the reign of Louis XIV, influences arising from the Galenic and iatrochemical medical traditions collided with changing notions of Frenchness to shape understandings of the healthfulness and quality of a wine in relation to its provenance. Specific locations were believed to impart particular qualities to the people, plants, animals, and waters that originated there. Thus, wines from a particular locale would be marked by the properties of that place, and were thought capable of transmitting their characteristics to a drinker. Some land was seen as inherently suited for producing superior wines, and proponents of wines from particular regions often grounded their arguments on the basis of the proclaimed health benefits. However, this was a period of tension between French and regional identities, and the promotion of prestigious wines from specific regions, like Champagne or Burgundy, can be interpreted as an impediment to the goal of Louis XIV and his minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert to equate Frenchness with quality and distinction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wine is an essential component of the Mediterranean diet. Its consumption is increasing in many industrialized countries due to effective marketing. Wine may also have effects in the oral cavity mainly due to its acidity and alcohol content. This article briefly describes some effects of wine, both beneficial and detrimental, on oral and general health. In particular, the effect of wine on tooth enamel is demonstrated. (Quintessence Int 2000:31 -729-733) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol intake increases the risk of cancer development. Approximately 3.6% human cancers worldwide derive from chronic alcohol drinking, including oral, liver, breast and other organs. Our studies in vivo and in vitro have demonstrated that diluted ethanol increase RNA Pol III gene transcription and promotes cell proliferation and transformation, as well as tumor formation. However, it is unclear about the effect of red wines on the human cancer cells. In present study, we investigated the roles of red wine in human cancer cell growth, colony formation and RNA Pol III gene transcription. Low concentration (12.5 mM to 25 mM) of ethanol enhances cell proliferation of breast and esophageal cancer lines, whereas its higher concentration (100 mM to 200 mM) slightly decreases the rates. In contrast, red wines significantly repress cell proliferation of different human cancer lines from low dose to high dose. The results reveal that the red wine also inhibits colony formation of human breast cancer and esophageal carcinoma cells. The effects of repression on different human cancer lines are in a dose-dependent manner. Further analysis indicates that ethanol increases RNA Pol III gene transcription, whereas the red wines significantly reduce transcription of the genes. Interestingly, the effects of mature wine (brick red) on cancer cell phenotypes are much stronger than young wine (intense violet). Together, these new findings suggest that red wines may contain some bioactive components, which are able to inhibit human cancer cell growth and colony formation. • Red wines repressed proliferation and colony formation of different human cancer cells; • Red wines inhibit RNA Pol III gene transcription, while ethanol increases their activity; • Diluted ethanol enhances these cellular phenotypic changes in human breast cancer and esophageal carcinoma lines; • Repressing cell growth, colony formation and Pol III genes by mature wines are much stronger than ones by young wine; [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on relation between wine, water and wellness. Topics discussed include health benefits of certain wine through the ages as well as water consumption and its health implications; wine from the mythical god Dionysus; and the protective effects of wine consumption and in particular the "inverse association of red wine consumption and cardiovascular disease". Also mentions about the association between alcohol consumption and cancer.

Aim: Red wine is usually ingested as an unmixed drink. However, mixtures of wine with juices and/or sucrose (mixed wine) are becoming more and more popular and could be ingested at either cold or hot temperature. Although the temperature effects on the cardiovascular system have been described for water and tea, with greater energy expenditure (EE) and lower cardiac workload with a colder drink, little information is available on the impact of temperature of alcoholic beverages on alcoholemia and cardiometabolic parameters. The purpose of the present study was to compare the acute cardiovascular and metabolic changes in response to mixed wine ingested at a cold or at a hot temperature. Methods: In a randomized crossover design, 14 healthy young adults (seven men and seven women) were assigned to cold or hot mixed wine ingestion. Continuous cardiovascular, metabolic, and cutaneous monitoring was performed in a comfortable sitting position during a 30-min baseline and for 120 min after ingesting 400 ml of mixed wine, with the alcohol content adjusted to provide 0.4 g ethanol/kg of body weight and drunk at either cold (3°C) or hot (55°C) temperature. Breath alcohol concentration was measured intermittently throughout the study. Results: Overall, alcoholemia was not altered by drink temperature, with a tendency toward greater values in women compared to men. Early responses to mixed wine ingestion (0–20 min) indicated that cold drink transiently increased mean blood pressure (BP), cardiac vagal tone, and decreased skin blood flow (SkBf) whereas hot drink did not change BP, decreased vagal tone, and increased SkBf. Both cold and hot mixed wine led to increases in EE and reductions in respiratory quotient. Late responses (60–120 min) led to similar cardiovascular and metabolic changes at both drink temperatures. Conclusion: The magnitude and/or the directional change of most of the study variables differed during the first 20 min following ingestion and may be related to drink temperature. By contrast, late changes in cardiometabolic outcomes were similar between cold and hot wine ingestion, underlying the typical effect of alcohol and sugar intake on the cardiovascular system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biogenic amines (BAs), a class of nitrogenous compounds that are frequently detected in wine, pose adverse effects to humans. However, with the largest red wine consumption in the world, little is known about national profiles correlating BAs in wines to toxicological/health risks in China. In this study, we conducted a nationwide survey of commercially available wines for the occurrence of BAs. Our sampling campaign covered >90% of wine brands ( n  = 456) in China in a three year span (2014–2016). The target BAs included tryptamine, phenylethylamine, putrescine, cadaverine, histamine, tyramine, spermidine and spermine. In order to quantitatively characterize the potential risk and/or support regulatory decision-making, chronic and acute BA exposure scenarios were developed and simulated with a physiologically based pharmacokinetic model. The model described the fate and transport of BAs within human body using physical descriptions of relevant processes. These results provided baseline data that are needed for the risk assessment of dietary uptake of BAs and evaluating winemaking processes by food safety authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of the term “French Paradox” motivated an extensive and in-depth research into health benefits of moderate wine consumption. The superiority of wine is thought to be attributed to its micro-constituents and consequent effort was made to isolate and identify these bioactive compounds as well as to elucidate the mechanisms of their action. Controlled trials offer more concrete answers to several raised questions than observational studies. Under this perspective, clinical trials have been implemented, mainly in healthy volunteers and rarely in patients, in order to investigate the acute or chronic effect of wine consumption on metabolism and physio-pathological systems, which are mainly associated with cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this review is to update the knowledge about the acute and long term effect of wine consumption on lipid and glucose/insulin metabolism as well as on the inflammatory and haemostatic systems, based on the reported data of controlled clinical trials. In conclusion, the most repeated result of wine consumption is on lipid metabolism, attributed mainly to ethanol, while wine micro-constituents seem to have an important role mainly in haemostatic and inflammatory/endothelial systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Causal inference is a core task of science. However, authors and editors often refrain from explicitly acknowledging the causal goal of research projects; they refer to causal effect estimates as associational estimates. This commentary argues that using the term "causal" is necessary to improve the quality of observational research. Specifically, being explicit about the causal objective of a study reduces ambiguity in the scientific question, errors in the data analysis, and excesses in the interpretation of the Results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unsafe use of alcohol causes many diseases that lead to social and economic burden in societies. In Pakistan due to limited access, inflated prices of standard alcohol and ban on use of alcoholic products for Muslims, the illegal Liquors "Tharra" production at domestic level is on the rise. The liquor (Tharra) contain many impurities and is often injurious to health. This study examines the impact of consumption of unsafe liquor on socio-economic and health context in Pakistan by using primary data obtained through filling of suitably designed questionnaires and finding out quality of homemade liquor samples collected from local Bathas. The data was collected by taking representative samples consisting of males from age groups 14 to onwards. The participants were enrolled using CAGE (screening tool. Our data revealed that majority of middle age group (57%) was involved in liquor "Tharra" drinking (36-45 years and 26 - 35 years). More participants (63%) were found representing Hindu religion, followed by Muslims (31%) with few Christian (5%) in the studied area. Almost in all samples the alcoholic strength exceeded by safe volume limit (20%). All other analyzed constituents of the samples (e.g.methanol, acetaldehyde, higher alcohols, esters, metals, anions) were found in concentrations that poses serious threat to public health. It seems impossible for the government to subsidize its prices or lift ban on the use and purchase of standard alcohol products due to social and religious reasons. However, the government needs to reinforce the laws governing sale of methylated spirits for industrial and commercial use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resveratrol is probably the most investigated plant secondary metabolite ever. An epidemiological study known as the French paradox showed a correlation between red wine intake and low mortality due to coronary heart diseases, and the red wine substance resveratrol was claimed to play a key role. Since then, several hundred resveratrol studies have been conducted to demonstrate its antioxidant and other beneficial properties. In the foodomics era, considering a complex foodome including over 25,000 substances that make up the human diet, it appears to be outdated to pursue the hunt for biological activities one function/compound at a time. First, nature is multivariate, and the effect of any one molecule will have to be modulated by its carrying matrix, its bioavailability, and synergies with other molecules. Second, a large number of targeted studies have the tendency to become biased, as they tend to retain only the data that the researchers think are relevant and thus increase the chances of spurious correlations. In this concise review, we retrace the research toward a more inductive, holistic, and multivariate path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Improving mechanisms for knowledge translation (KT) and connecting decision-makers to each other and the information and evidence they consider relevant to their work remains a priority for public health. Virtual communities of practices (CoPs) potentially offer an affordable and flexible means of encouraging connection and sharing of evidence, information and learning among the public health community in ways that transgress traditional geographical, professional, institutional and time boundaries. The suitability of online CoPs in public health, however, has rarely been tested. This paper explores the reasons why particular online CoP for alcohol harm reduction hosted by the UK Health Forum failed to generate sufficient interest from the group of public health professionals at which it was aimed.Methods: The study utilises online web-metrics demonstrating a lack of online activity on the CoP. One hundred and twenty seven responses to an online questionnaire were used to explore whether the lack of activity could be explained by the target audience's existing information and evidence practices and needs. Qualitative interviews with 10 members describe in more detail the factors that shape and inhibit use of the virtual CoP by those at which it was targeted.Results: Quantitative and qualitative data confirm that the target audience had an interest in the kind of information and evidence the CoP was set up to share and generate discussion about, but also that participants considered themselves to already have relatively good access to the information and evidence they needed to inform their work. Qualitative data revealed that the main barriers to using the CoP were a proliferation of information sources meaning that participants preferred to utilise trusted sources that were already established within their daily routines and a lack of time to engage with new online tools that required any significant commitment.Conclusions: Specialist online CoPs are competing for space in an already crowded market. A target audience that regards itself as busy and over-supplied is unlikely to commit to a new service without the assurance that the service will provide unique and valuable well-summarised information, which would reduce the need to spend time accessing competing resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hydroxytyrosol is a phenolic compound that is present in virgin olive oil (VOO) and wine. Hydroxytyrosol-related foods have been shown to protect against cardiovascular disease (CVD). Objective: We investigated the associations between hydroxytyrosol and its biological metabolite, 3-O-methyl-hydroxytyrosol, also known as homovanillyl alcohol (HVAL), with CVD and total mortality. Design: We included 1851 men and women with a mean ± SD age of 66.8 ± 6 y at high risk of CVD from prospective cohort data. The primary endpoint was a composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, and death from cardiovascular causes; the secondary endpoint was all-cause mortality. Twenty-four-hour urinary hydroxytyrosol and HVAL and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) rs4680 genotypes were measured. Results: After multivariable adjustment, all biomarkers were associated, as a continuous variable, with lower CVD risk, but only HVAL showed a strong inverse association (HR: 0.44; 95% CI: 0.25, 0.80) for the comparison between quintiles. Only HVAL, as a continuous variable, was associated with total mortality (HR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.70, 0.95). Individuals in the highest quintile of HVAL compared with the lowest had 9.2 (95% CI: 3.5, 20.8) and 6.3 (95% CI: 2.3, 12.1) additional years of life or years free of CVD, respectively, after 65 y. Individuals with the rs4680GG genotype had the highest HVAL concentrations (P = 0.05). There was no association between COMT genotypes and events or interaction between COMT genotypes and HVAL concentrations. Conclusions: We report, for the first time to our knowledge, an independent association between high urinary HVAL concentrations and a lower risk of CVD and total mortality in elderly individuals. VOO and wine consumption and a high metabolic COMT capacity for methylation are key factors for high HVAL concentrations. The association that stems from our results reinforces the benefits of 2 key components of the Mediterranean diet (wine and VOO). This trial was registered at www.predimed.es as ISRCTN35739639. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent concerns have been raised regarding heavy metal content in wine and its potential health implications. The goal of this study was to determine if lead (Pb) intake poses a health risk among adult consumers of wine. This was achieved by performing a literature review of studies reporting Pb concentration in United States and international wines, determining adult wine consumption rates in the United States using NHANES dietary survey data, utilizing the U.S. EPA's Adult Lead Methodology (ALM) model to estimate adult blood lead levels (BLLs) from wine consumption under various exposure scenarios, and comparing modeled BLLs to guidance values. Models were stratified by average exposure (mean wine Pb concentration) and high exposure (95 percentile wine Pb concentration) scenarios. Results: Lead concentration data was abstracted from a total of 31 studies, including wine from 18 countries for a total of 472 wine samples. The mean Pb content of international red and white wines were 33.9 μg/L ( n = 282) and 35.7 μg/L ( n = 118), respectively, while the mean Pb content of domestic red wine was 4.4 μg/L ( n = 61). All modelled BLLs were below the Center for Disease Control (CDC) BLL guidance value of 5 μg/dL. Assuming a mean baseline BLL, an individual was required to drink 10.4 glasses of wine per day (all wine types) under the average exposure scenario and 3.7 glasses of wine per day (all wine types) under the high exposure scenario in order to elevate their BLL to the guidance value of 5 μg/dL. When stratified by region, a minimum of approximately 24 glasses of wine from the United States per day was required to raise adult BLLs to the 5 μg/dL guidance value. Conclusions: Overall, findings suggest that Pb content in wine does not pose a health risk to adult wine consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acidity of wine can cause dental erosion. Furthermore, its constituents may lead to excessive staining of teeth. The authors report the case of a patient whose amount, manner and timing of wine consumption caused these dental problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biogenic amines are formed from precursor amino acids by various microorganisms present in wine, and this may happen at any step of production, ageing or storage. The presence of these compounds is important because high amounts of them can lead to health problems. Also, biogenic amines can be potentially applied as indicators of food spoilage and/or authenticity. Nevertheless, there are complex relationships among biogenic amines in Spanish wines and their distribution is far from a normal distribution. Even though, this structure must be taken into account to provide a frame of reference on the quality of wines and to contribute to the efforts of the entire productive chain to attain consumer safety. In this work, 684 samples of wines from different Spanish regions have been analyzed in order to determine the content of histamine, tyramine, phenylethylamine, cadaverine and putrescine during 2010, 2014 and 2015. The statistical distribution of histamine has been modelled by using the β-content tolerance intervals. Besides, copulas to obtain the joint multivariate confidence region between histamine and tyramine have been built for the first time in the oenological field. The β-content tolerance intervals for histamine content, in the case of the population of red wines in 2010, lead to decide that only 53.9% of the distribution would be below 10 ppm (with a 95% confidence in this affirmation). This percentage rises from 53.9 to 74.6% in the year 2014 and to 90.2% in 2015. Besides, the conjoint distribution of histamine and tyramine is modeled by a Clayton copula with margins estimated by Gaussian kernel, which allows concluding that this distribution is similar for the three years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we report that polyphenols present in red wine obtained by a controlled microvinification process are able to protect human erythrocytes from oxidative stress and to activate Plasma Membrane Redox System (PMRS). Human plasma obtained from healthy subjects was incubated in the presence of whole red wine at a concentration corresponding to 9.13–73 μg/ml gallic acid equivalents to verify the capacity to protect against hypochlorous acid (HOCl)-induced plasma oxidation and to minimize chloramine formation. Red wine reduced hemolysis and chloramine formation induced by HOCl of 40 and 35%, respectively. PMRS present on human erythrocytes transfers electrons from intracellular molecules to extracellular electron acceptors. We demonstrated that whole red wine activated PMRS activity in human erythrocytes isolated from donors in a dose-dependent manner with a maximum at about 70–100 μg/ml gallic acid equivalents. We also showed that red wine increased glutathione (GSH) levels and erythrocytic antioxidant capacity, measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) quenching assay. Furthermore, we reported that GSH played a crucial role in regulating PMRS activity in erythrocytes. In fact, the effect of iodoacetamide, an alkylating agent that induces depletion of intracellular GSH, was completely counteracted by red wine. Bioactive compounds present in red wine, such as gallic acid, resveratrol, catechin, and quercetin were unable to activate PMRS when tested at the concentrations normally present in aged red wines. On the contrary, the increase of PMRS activity was associated with the anthocyanin fraction, suggesting the capacity of this class of compounds to positively modulate PMRS enzymatic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

AIMS Observational studies report inconsistent associations between moderate alcohol intake and blood pressure (BP). In a sub-study of a larger randomized controlled trial, we assessed the effect of initiating moderate red wine consumption on 24-h BP recordings and the effect of a common genetic variant of alcohol dehydrogenases (ADH) among patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS Fifty-four type 2 diabetes, alcohol abstainers were randomized to consume 150 ml/dinner dry red wine or mineral water. Both groups were guided to adhere to a Mediterranean diet, without caloric restriction. We measured 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) at baseline and after 6 months. RESULTS Participants (age = 57 years; 85% men; mean 24-h BP = 129/77 mm Hg) had 92% 6-month retention. After 6 months of intervention, the average 24-h BP did not differ between the wine and water groups. A transient decrease in BP was observed in the red wine group at midnight (3-4 hours after wine intake: systolic BP: red wine = -10.6 mm Hg vs. mineral water = +2.3 mm Hg; P = 0.031) and the following morning at 7-9 am (red wine: -6.2 mm Hg vs. mineral water: +5.6 mm Hg; P = 0.014). In a second post hoc sub-analysis among the red wine consumers, individuals who were homozygous for the gene encoding ADH1B*2 variant (Arg48His; rs1229984, TT, fast ethanol metabolizers), exhibited a reduction in mean 24-h systolic BP (-8.0 mm Hg vs. +3.7mm Hg; P = 0.002) and pulse pressure (-3.8 mm Hg vs. +1.2 mm Hg; P = 0.032) compared to heterozygotes and those homozygous for the ADH1B*1 variant (CC, slow metabolizers). CONCLUSIONS Initiating moderate red wine consumption at dinner among type 2 diabetes patients does not have a discernable effect on mean 24-h BP. Yet, a modest temporal BP reduction could be documented, and a more pronounced BP-lowering effect is suggested among fast ethanol metabolizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A light-to-moderate wine consumption has been shown to provide several beneficial effects on the skeletal system, including reduced risk of bone mass loss and fractures. Wine is rich in phenolic compounds, strong phytoestrogens and natural antioxidants, to which bone protection is mainly attributed. The objective of this review was to give an overview of the exact mechanisms by which wine consumption is involved in bone protection. We found a great variety of in vitro research on the beneficial effects of isolated wine phenolics on the skeletal system, with a significant lack of evidence of their in vivo effects. In addition, we found almost no studies investigating how wine, a mixture of these phenolics dissolved in ethanol, affects the skeletal system. Our results warrant further research on this interesting topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wine has been used since the dawn of human civilization. Despite many health benefits, there is still a lot of discussion about the real properties of its components and its actions on cells and molecular interactions. A large part of these issues permeate the fine line between the amount of alcohol that causes problems to organic systems and the amount that could be beneficial for the health. However, even after the process of fermentation, wine conserves different organic compounds from grapes, such as polysaccharides, acids, and phenolic compounds, such as flavonoids and nonflavonoids. These substances have known anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacities, and are considered as regulatory agents in cardiometabolic process. In this study, the main chemical components present in the wine, its interaction with molecules and biological mechanisms, and their interference with intra- and extracellular signaling are reviewed. Finally, the properties of wine that may benefit cardiovascular system are also revised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Judgements of volume may influence the rate of consumption of alcohol and, in turn, the amount consumed. The aim of the current study was to examine the impact of the size and shape of wine glasses on perceptions of wine volume. Methods: Online experiment: Participants (n = 360; recruited via Mechanical Turk) were asked to match the volume of wine in two wine glasses, specifically: 1. the Reference glass holding a fixed reference volume, and 2. the Comparison glass, for which the volume could be altered until participants perceived it matched the reference volume. One of three comparison glasses was shown in each trial: ‘wider’ (20% wider but same capacity); ‘larger’ (same width but 25% greater capacity); or ‘wider-and-larger’ (20% wider and 25% greater capacity). Reference volumes were 125ml, 175ml and 250ml, in a fully factorial within-subjects design: 3 (comparison glass) x 3 (reference volume). Non-zero differences between the volumes with which participants filled comparison glasses and the corresponding reference volumes were identified using sign-rank tests. Results: Participants under-filled the wider glass relative to the reference glass for larger reference volumes, and over-filled the larger glass relative to the reference glass for all reference volumes. Results for the wider-and-larger glass showed a mixed pattern across reference volume. For all comparison glasses, in trials with larger reference volumes participants tended to fill the comparison glass less, relative to trials with smaller reference volumes for the same comparison glass. Conclusions: These results are broadly consistent with people using the relative fullness of glasses to judge volume, and suggest both the shape and capacity of wine glasses may influence perceived volume. Perceptions that smaller glasses contain more than larger ones (despite containing the same volume), could slow drinking speed and overall consumption by serving standard portions in smaller glasses. This hypothesis awaits testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Heavy intake of alcoholic beverages is associated with an increased risk of developing several types of cancers at specific body sites. However, evidence is conflicting regarding alcohol-associated cancers in other sites of the body as well as the role played by choice of wine, liquor, or beer. Objective: To study incident cancer risk from 1978 to 1985 and through follow-up in 2012 relative to light-to-moderate and heavy drinking and to the choice of alcoholic beverage in a cohort of 124,193 persons. Design: Cohort. Main Outcome Measures: 1) Cox proportional hazards models controlled for 7 covariates to analyze alcohol-associated risk of any cancer and multiple specific types. 2) Similar analyses in strata of drinkers with or without a preponderant choice of wine, liquor, or beer and with or without inferred likelihood of underreporting. Results: With lifelong abstainers as referent, heavy drinking (≥ 3 drinks per day) was associated with increased risk of 5 cancer types: upper airway/digestive tract, lung, female breast, colorectal, and melanoma, with light-to-moderate drinking related to all but lung cancer. No significantly increased risk was seen for 12 other cancer sites: stomach, pancreas, liver, brain, thyroid, kidney, bladder, prostate, ovary, uterine body, cervix, and hematologic system. For all cancers combined there was a progressive relationship with all levels of alcohol drinking. These associations were largely independent of smoking, but among light-to-moderate drinkers there was evidence of confounding by inferred underreporting. Beverage choice played no major independent role. Conclusion: Heavy alcohol drinking is related to increased risk of some cancer types but not others. Because of probable confounding, the role of light-to-moderate drinking remains unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cancer has become in the recent decades one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The search for effective prevention has become a priority for the basic and clinical science. Wine polyphenols have been proposed as alternative therapy for induction and on maintaining remission of cancer. Objective: To review current scientific evidence of cancer and the efficacy of dietary supplement therapy (especially wine polyphenols). Materials and Methods: Extensive search of scientific publications was performed in specialized electronic databases: NBCI, Elsevier, Scielo, Scirus and Science Direct. Results and discussion: Results from in vitro and laboratory animals experiments demonstrate that wine polyphenols controls the cell apoptosis of different type of cancers through out the increase of reactive oxygen species, and decrease of cell growth. Different studies have shown that regular and moderate wine consumption (one or two glasses for day) is associated with decreased incidence of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, and certain cancers, such as colon, breast, lung, or prostate. However, more scientific evidences are needed to strength the effect of resveratrol in controlling cancer. Conclusions: A better knowledge and understanding of the wine polyphenol role in cancer disease patients is possible with the current published results. The wine polyphenols plays a significant role as antioxidant and prooxidant in cancer, although more extensive studies are required to determine the clinical significance in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since decades, it has been suggested that regular, moderate consumption of red wine, a major component of Mediterranean diet, at main meals, may contribute to explain the healthy properties attributed to this traditional dietary style. Despite preclinical in vitro/in vivo data have shown a significant cardioprotective activity of grape phytochemicals, mostly polyphenols, evidence in humans is still debated. This lack of consensus may be due to the equilibrium between the two main components of wine relevant for health: ethanol and bioactive compounds or phytochemicals, which include not only polyphenols, but also newly detected molecules, such as melatonin and phytosterols. The state of art related to this delicate equilibrium represents the starting point for designing future clinical trials, in perspective of clinical recommendations. A better comprehension of the wine chemistry complexity with its major components embodies a pivotal issue in biomedicine, involving the fields of diet-related environmental medicine as well as chronomedicine. In this paper, we briefly reviewed putative beneficial effects of moderate red wine intake in humans, focusing on the reduction of cardiovascular risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The relative contributions of wine polyphenols in healthy benefits were studied. [•] Resveratrol may be negligible with respect to healthy benefits of the red wine. [•] The contribution percentage of resveratrol to antioxidant activity of the red wine was lesser than other tested polyphenols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the application of a headspace solid-phase microextraction ( HS- SPME) method on the analysis of Nebbiolo-based wine volatiles by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography ( GC× GC) and time-of-flight mass spectrometry ( TOF- MS). The aroma patterns were established for different samples of Nebbiolo-based wines, aged in oak wood barrels for 18 months at constant temperature. The methodology allowed for the simultaneous analysis of over 130 different volatile compounds detected in the headspace. The odour activity values ( OAVs) were assessed to identify potentially important odorants of Nebbiolo-based wine during ageing. The highest OAVs were obtained for several compounds such as ethyl octanoate, ethyl hexanoate, isoamyl acetate, β-damascenone, ethyl cinnamate, ethyl 3-methylbutanate and acetaldehyde. Ethyl butanoate, octanoic acid, ethyl dihydrocinnamate and γ-nonalactone were also at concentrations higher than their corresponding threshold. Also vanillin, (E)-whisky lactone, (Z)-whisky lactone, guaiacol and 4-ethyl guaiacol seem to be important odorants after oak wood ageing period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dealcoholization, the removal of alcohol from wine, is a technique used to combat rising alcohol levels in wine. However, little is known about how changes in alcohol levels affect wine sensory composition. The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of dealcoholization on wine sensory profiles using trained panelists and consumers. A portion of a Californian Chardonnay was dealcoholized and blended back to the original wine at 0.2%v/v increments up to 2%v/v reduction. From a descriptive sensory analysis, with a minimum alcohol difference of 0.4%v/v, wines differed ( P ≤ 0.05) in overall aroma intensity and hot mouthfeel, which were positively correlated with alcohol. Unlike panelists, consumers were unable to detect changes among wines with a 1%v/v difference. These results suggest that a moderate reduction of alcohol in oaked Chardonnay wines has a minimal impact on sensory composition and consumer preferences. Practical Implications This work suggests that reducing the alcohol levels of oaked white wine using dealcoholization techniques results in minimal perceptible changes to the sensory profile. Alcohol reduction technology is of beneficial use to the wine industry. It would be advantageous for wine producers and consumers to be better informed, regarding the financial, social and health benefits of partially dealcoholized wine, without reduction in wine quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article considers the epidemiologic and metabolic studies of the consequences of red wine drinking for people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). It determines whether the health effects of wine are intrinsic to grapes or a function of the alcohol in wine. Potential mechanisms of action for the beneficial effects of red wine are discussed. It is suggested that drinking red wine in moderation has no adverse effects on people with T2D.

As wine polyphenols were shown to possess many positive effects in mammals, including improvement of vascular function, this study investigated the effect of the Slovak Alibernet red wine extract (AWE) on blood pressure and vascular function in young normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats. Six weeks old, male, WKY and SHR were treated with AWE for three weeks at the dose of 24.2 mg/kg/day. Blood pressure (BP), determined by tail-cuff plethysmography, was significantly elevated in SHR vs. WKY and AWE failed to affect it. Lipid peroxidation was evaluated by determination of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances. Vascular function was assessed in rings of the femoral artery using Mulvany-Halpern's myograph. Maximal endothelium-dependent acetylcholine (ACh)-induced relaxation was reduced in control SHR vs. WKY rats by approximately 9.3 %, which was associated with a significant decrease of its NO-independent component. AWE failed to affect maximal ACh-induced relaxation, both its NO-dependent and independent components, compared to controls of the same genotype. AWE however reduced lipid peroxidation in the left ventricle of both WKY and SHR and in the liver of SHR. In conclusion, three-week administration of AWE failed to reduce BP and to improve endothelial function in the femoral arteries of both genotypes investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article seeks to appraise the development that the Deursches Weintor case will bring to EU law concerning health protection. The analysis will be carried out by highlighting the structure and the aims of Regulation no. 1924/2006/EC in order to assess its role in the construction of health as a fundamental right. Furthermore, attention will be devoted to how this judgment could affect the general theory behind fundamental rights and how it is placed in relation to the settled case law of the Court. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an ancient low-alcohol beverage, Za wine (ZW) is very popular in the Qiang ethnic minority areas of China. Za wine has been claimed to possess health-promoting effects, which may be associated with its antioxidant (AO) activity in vivo. In this study, the total AO capacity, DPPH radical and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, and reducing capacity for two traditional Za wines (TZW-L and TZW-W) produced from hull-less barley and two commercial Za wines (CZW-H and CZW-M) produced from hull-less barley and maize, respectively, were determined. Total phenolics (TP) and total flavonoids (TF) of ZW were measured, and the phenolic compounds were identified and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A Chinese yellow wine (YW) produced from rice and wheat was used as a reference. The results indicated that ZW had effective antioxidant activity, with CZW-H exhibiting the greatest AO activity amongst the wines analysed. Significant differences were also observed between TZW-L, TZW-W, CZW-M and YW in some of the AO assays ( p < 0.05). The results also showed that TP (TF) content varied from 137.15 µg gallic acid equivalent/mL (34.12 µg/ mL; CZW-M) to 177.85 µg gallic acid equivalent/mL (56.38 µg/mL; CZW-H), and that TP positively correlated to AO activity, suggesting that phenolic compounds could be major contributors to the AO activity of ZW. HPLC results indicated that protocatechuic acid and ferulic acid were the major phenolic compounds in TZW-L, TZW-W and CZW-H, whereas syringic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid were the dominant phenolic compounds in CZW-M. Copyright © 2013 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Red wine drinking was not associated to a reduced salivary antiradical activity. [•] A capsule of red wine polyphenol extract increased salivary antiradical capacity. [•] The highest salivary polyphenol levels were reached 30min after wine drinking. [•] Red wine extract was not able to rise salivary total polyphenols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To describe the consumption of alcoholic beverages in a German wine area, with special attention to the number of people drinking more than the tolerable upper alcohol intake level (TUAL). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a mailed questionnaire, to investigate the weekly consumption of wine, beer, and spirits during the preceding 12 months in Mainz, the state capital of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The analysis included 948 responders aged 20-69 years. Results: A total of 948 respondents, with a mean age of 43.7 years, were included in the analysis. About 85% of the respondents consumed alcoholic beverages, with an average of about 13.5 g alcohol/day. Men drank about twice as much as women. In total, 30% of women and 24% of men reported drinking more than the TUAL, and 9.2% of women and 7.2% of men reported drinking more than twice as much as the TUAL. The highest proportion of persons drinking more than the TUAL was found among elderly people. The preferred beverage was wine, which contributed 74% (for women) and 54% (for men) to the total alcohol intake. On average, the respondents drank 2.8 glasses of wine per week, 1.4 bottles beer, and negligible amounts of spirits. Conclusion: Wine was the preferred alcoholic beverage in Mainz, which was expected for people living in a wine area. A rather large number of people, especially among the elderly, consumed alcohol in an amount higher than the TUAL which may be harmful to health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Beneficial effects of wine on cardiovascular disease have been shown previously, but the mechanism is still unknown. The renin-angiotensin system is an important mechanism in the body concerning regulation of blood pressure, fluid, and electrolyte balance, and the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is a key enzyme in this system. Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of red wine, white wine, rose wine, and alcohol-free grape juice on somatic ACE-1 activity. The effects of the stilbene resveratrol and its glycoside, resveratrol- 3-glycoside were also tested on ACE activity and concentration of nitric oxide (NO). Materials and Methods: Cultured endothelial cells from human umbilical veins (HUVEC) were incubated with wine, grape juice, resveratrol, or resveratrol-3-glycoside. Ethanol was used as control in the corresponding concentration (13%). Results: After incubation, a significant inhibition of ACE activity was seen with all the wines tested and the red grape juice. This inhibition was of a similar magnitude except for a lesser inhibition with the rose wine. No significant inhibition was seen with the white grape juice, resveratrol, resveratrol-3-glycoside, or ethanol alone, and neither did resveratrol nor resveratrol-3-glycoside affect the concentration of NO. Conclusions: The effect of wine and grape juice on ACE activity in HUVEC is dependent on the amount of flavonoids and not on the content of alcohol or resveratrol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background--Moderate consumption of alcohol, particularly red wine, has been shown to decrease cardiac risk. We used a hypercholesterolemic swine model of chronic ischemia to examine the effects of 2 alcoholic beverages on the heart. Methods and Results--Yorkshire swine fed a high-cholesterol diet underwent left circumflex ameroid constrictor placement to induce chronic ischemia at 8 weeks of age. One group (HCC, n=9) continued on the diet alone, the second (HCW, n=8) was supplemented with red wine (pinot noir, 12.5% alcohol, 375 mL daily), and the third (HCV, n=9) was supplemented with vodka (40% alcohol, 112 mL daily). After 7 weeks, cardiac function was measured, and ischemic myocardium was harvested for analysis of perfusion, myocardial fibrosis, vessel function, protein expression, oxidative stress, and capillary density. Platelet function was measured by aggregometry. Perfusion to the ischemic territory as measured by microsphere injection was significantly increased in both HCW and HCV compared with HCC at rest, but in only the HCW group under ventricular pacing. Microvessel relaxation response to adenosine 5'-diphosphate was improved in the HCW group alone as was regional contractility in the ischemic territory, although myocardial fibrosis was decreased in both HCW and HCV. Expression of proangiogenic proteins phospho-endothelial nitric oxide synthase and vascular endothelial growth factor was increased in both HCW and HCV, whereas phospho-mammalian target of rapamycin was increased only in the HCV group. Expression of Sirt-1 and downstream antioxidant phospho-FoxOI was increased only in the HCW group. Protein oxidative stress was decreased in the HCW group alone, whereas capillary density was increased only in the HCV group. There was no significant difference in platelet function between groups. Conclusion--Moderate consumption of red wine and vodka may reduce cardiovascular risk by improving collateral-dependent perfusion through different mechanisms. Red wine may offer increased cardioprotection related to its antioxidant properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was investigate in the scientific literature stocks of wine and grave juice in control and disease prevention and also analise which source of grapes can be used to have the best effect on health. Grape, grape juice or wine Consist of water, carbohydrates, organic acids, vitamins, minerals, proteins, ethanol, acetaldehyde, methanol, fiber and phenolic compounds. The main phenolic compounds originate from secondary metabolism of plants, in grape those bioactive are present in the forms of flavonoids (anthocyanins and antoxantinas consisting of flavones, flavan, flavanols and flavonols), stilbenes (resveratrol), phenolic acids (derivatives of cinnamic and benzoic acids) and tannis. These phenolic compounds have various activities such as anti-inflammatory, vasoprotective, antiplatelet, improve lipid profiles, neuroprotective, osteoarthritis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, obesity, diabetes, are powerfull antioxidants and prevent aging and atherosclerosis. According to the review conducted several authors agree that the wine, grape juice, popsicles, sorbet, jelly, raisins, grape pomace flour are good sources of phenolic compounds, since these constituents remain unchanged even after processing of grapes. The confirmation of these properties awakened new interest in the prodution of food products with different functional properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: SULT1A enzymes protect humans from catecholamines, but natural substances in many foods have been found to inhibit these enzymes in vitro. Given the hormonal roles of catecholamines, any in vivo SULT1A inhibition could have serious consequences. This paper uses a re-analysis of published data to confirm that SULT1A inhibitors have effect in vivo in at least some patients. Nineteen studies are cited that show ingestion of SULT1A inhibitors leading to catecholamine increases, blood pressure changes, migraine headaches, or atrial fibrillation. SULT1A inhibition does not create the catecholamines, but prevents normal catecholamine deactivation. Susceptible patients probably have lower-activity SULT1A alleles. The paper discusses new hypotheses that SULT1A inhibition can cause “holiday heart” arrhythmias and type 2 diabetes in susceptible patients. Subgroup analysis based on SULT1A alleles, and addition of a catecholamine source, should improve the consistency of results from tests of SULT1A inhibitors. SULT1A inhibition may be a key contributor to cheese-induced migraines (via annatto), false positives in metanephrine testing, and the cardiovascular impacts of recreational alcohols. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Beer is consumed worldwide and is a universally popular beverage. This is due to its sensory, nutritional, and medicinal properties. Surveys have shown that light to moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages (including beer) with relatively low alcohol contents can provide various favorable impacts on humans' health, including nutritional benefits, anti-mutagenic and anti-carcinogenic effects, reduction of cardiovascular disease (cardioprotective effect), hypolipidemic effect, immune system stimulation, anti-osteoporosis effect, and reducing risk of dementia. On the contrary, consumption of these beverages in excessive amounts results in some heath disorders, such as allergy induction, increase in the plasma concentration of uric acid, mutation and cancer induction, increase in the risk of dementia, obesity, and some social misbehaviors. Health-related aspects of beer (both positive and negative impacts) have been comprehensively reviewed in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wines made from 3 spine grape ( Vitis davidii Foex) genotypes-Junzi 1# (JZ 1#), Junzi 2# (JZ 2#), and Liantang (LT)-and Cherokee rose ( Rosa laevigata Michx., CR) were evaluated for their phenolics composition and antioxidant activities by several assays, including 2,2′-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS scavenging capacity, cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity, and metal-chelating capacity). The results showed that CR wine had higher contents of total phenolics, total flavonoids, and oligomeric proanthocyanidins than the 3 spine grape genotype wines and Cabernet Sauvignon (CS) wine. Among the 3 varieties of spine grape wines, JZ 1# had higher contents than the 2 other genotypes. Moreover, the total monomeric anthocyanins in JZ 1# was about 4.5-fold higher than those in CS wine and CR wine. A significance analysis demonstrated that the antioxidant capacity (as measured by the ABTS scavenging capacity and cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity) of CR wine was significantly higher than that of the control and spine grape wines. With respect to metal-chelating capacity, the CR wine was the strongest amongst all the wine samples tested, followed by JZ 1#. This indicates that CR and JZ 1# wines can potentially be considered as wild fruit wines with abundant phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities. Practical Application: Spine grape ( Vitis davidii Foex) and Cherokee rose ( Rosa laevigata Michx.) are 2 species of important wild plants in South China. However, they have not yet been effectively developed and utilized. Recently, some researchers attempted to convert their juice to wine. We anticipate that this research will provide sufficient experimental evidence for their good antioxidant activity and potential for further development and utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the second book of the Paedagogus, Clement thinks about the topic of wine, the corporal effects of its ingestion and its idolatrous reach by the opposition of two poles: curative remedy and prejudicial drug. We will analyze in the text of the Alexandrian the prescriptions in the use of wine reasoned from the dispositions of Paul's discourse, and the way in which the ideas transmitted by previous and contemporary authors to this writer not only coincide with those developed by Clement, but also remain in an ambiguous position that oscillates between the acceptance of wine and its curative properties, and the rejection of its excessive or idolatrous use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moderate wine consumption is compatible with a healthy lifestyle and can provide enjoyment and health benefits for many wine drinkers. A minority of consumers, however, misuses alcoholic beverages in a way that is associated with serious harm. The WINE in MODERATION (WIM) program aims to promote a responsible wine drinking pattern and is the wine sector's commitment to the EU Strategy to reduce alcohol related harm. With the German example, a national implementation as well as the interim results of the monitoring commitment during the first two years of the campaign will be presented. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In accordance with the declared objectives and activities in the Establishing Agreement of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV); the Strategic plan of the OIV 2009–2012, and the working programme of the Safety and Health Commission, the OIV has competence and responsibility to address issues related to wine consumption and health. In doing so it takes into account the efforts of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to develop a global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol, as well as the European Union (EU) Council initiative towards Member States to develop comprehensive, effective and sustainable national alcohol policies. Within this framework, the OIV develops recommendations. These recommendations are a continuation of the previous educational efforts of the OIV, such as resolutions Eco 4/99 and Eno 1/98, and emphasize that all information concerning the effects of wine on health must be presented in a competent and balanced manner. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Consumption of alcoholic beverages is a world-wide phenomenon. The use of alcoholic beverages in different parts of the world is influenced by economic, social, religious, and traditional forces, therefore countries differ significantly in the amount and type of alcohol consumed and in the temporal trends of use of alcoholic beverages. Italy and the United States are two examples of these differences: Italy is among the world's top producers and consumers of wine, while, in the USA, beer and spirits are more frequently consumed. In addition to differences in the amount and type of alcoholic beverages, Italians and Americans differ significantly in the way the alcoholic beverages are consumed, in particular in relation to the consumption of wine in relation to meals. These differences in the consumption of alcoholic beverages between countries can be used to analyze and better understand the health effects of alcoholic beverages on both individuals and populations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The recognition by scientists and the public of potential health effects of moderate drinking increased approximately two decades ago from reports of the so-called ‘French Paradox’: high levels of risk factors among the French but very low rates of coronary heart disease (CHD). Literally thousands of publications since then have confirmed that moderate drinking, especially of wine, is associated with a lower risk of many of the diseases of ageing. Further, a large number of mechanisms have been identified, including effects of drinking on blood lipids, endothelial function, coagulation, inflammation, glucose metabolism, and gene expression. When a national television program in the US in 1991 informed the public that moderate wine consumption may lower the risk of CHD, it was the first time that a reliable major news source had even suggested that there may be beneficial, rather than just harmful, effects of a beverage containing alcohol. This information immediately led a number of ‘scientists’ and ‘experts’ to attempt to explain the reported lower rates of CHD among the French by factors other than wine intake: the French do not know how to diagnose CHD; heart disease rates in France are no lower than in many other parts of the world (usually citing developing countries); the French do not consume a high-fat diet; even if there is less CHD, many more people die of alcohol abuse and we cannot encourage drinking. These criticisms have not stood the test of time. It is clear from an immense, and amazingly consistent, amount of research that moderate drinkers, especially of wine, have considerably lower rates of many diseases and live longer. For most middle-aged and older adults, unless there are contraindications to alcohol, moderate drinking can be considered as one component of a ‘healthy lifestyle’. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]