Dealcoholized red wine containing known amounts of resveratrol suppresses atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic rabbits without affecting plasma lipid levels

  • Authors:
    • Zhirong Wang
    • Jiangang Zou
    • Kejiang Cao
    • Tze-Chen Hsieh
    • Yuanzhu Huang
    • Joseph M. Wu
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: October 1, 2005     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.16.4.533
  • Pages: 533-540
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Abstract

Moderate consumption of red wine is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). This phenomenon is based on data from epidemiological observations known as the French paradox, and has been attributed to CHD-protective phytochemicals, e.g. resveratrol in red wine. Since red wine also contains alcohol, it is conceivable that alcohol interacts with resveratrol to elicit the observed cardioprotective effects. To determine whether resveratrol has alcohol-independent affects, we compared cardioprotective properties of dealcoholized Chinese red wine with alcohol-containing Chinese red wine having comparable amounts of resveratrol, using a hypercholesterolemic rabbit model and resveratrol as a reference. Animals fed a high cholesterol (1.5%) diet were simultaneously given water containing resveratrol (3 mg/kg/day) or red wine (4 ml/kg/day) containing 3.98 mg/l and 3.23 mg/l resveratrol for regular and dealcoholized red wine, respectively, for a 12-week duration. Total, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the plasma were measured before and after the cholesterol challenge. Atherosclerotic plaques in the thoracic aorta were evaluated using histochemical methods. Vascular and endothelial functions in the femoral artery were also assessed by ultrasonographic image analysis. High cholesterol-fed animals showed a significant increase in plasma levels of total, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol, but not triglycerides, compared to those fed a regular diet. Dietary cholesterol-elicited lipid changes were similarly observed in animals concurrently fed dealcoholized red wine, red wine or resveratrol. In contrast, whereas atherosclerotic lesions were clearly evident in specimens prepared from the thoracic aorta of high cholesterol-fed animals, the size, density, and mean area of atherosclerotic plaques, and thickness of the intima layer were significantly reduced in rabbits given dealcoholized red wine, red wine, or resveratrol. These results were in agreement with data obtained by an ultrasound analysis of endothelial function, which showed a 25% reduction in flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in rabbits fed a high cholesterol diet compared to animals on control diet. This decrease was effectively prevented by the simultaneous exposure to dealcoholized red wine, red wine, or resveratrol. Our study shows that animals given dealcoholized red wine exhibited cardio-active effects comparable to those of animals orally administered resveratrol, and suggests that wine polyphenolics, rather than alcohol present in red wine, suffice in exerting cardioprotective properties. The results also provide support for the notion that resveratrol and phytochemicals in red wine can suppress atherosclerosis without affecting plasma lipid levels.

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October 2005
Volume 16 Issue 4

Print ISSN: 1107-3756
Online ISSN:1791-244X

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Spandidos Publications style
Wang Z, Zou J, Cao K, Hsieh T, Huang Y and Wu JM: Dealcoholized red wine containing known amounts of resveratrol suppresses atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic rabbits without affecting plasma lipid levels. Int J Mol Med 16: 533-540, 2005
APA
Wang, Z., Zou, J., Cao, K., Hsieh, T., Huang, Y., & Wu, J.M. (2005). Dealcoholized red wine containing known amounts of resveratrol suppresses atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic rabbits without affecting plasma lipid levels. International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 16, 533-540. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.16.4.533
MLA
Wang, Z., Zou, J., Cao, K., Hsieh, T., Huang, Y., Wu, J. M."Dealcoholized red wine containing known amounts of resveratrol suppresses atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic rabbits without affecting plasma lipid levels". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 16.4 (2005): 533-540.
Chicago
Wang, Z., Zou, J., Cao, K., Hsieh, T., Huang, Y., Wu, J. M."Dealcoholized red wine containing known amounts of resveratrol suppresses atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic rabbits without affecting plasma lipid levels". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 16, no. 4 (2005): 533-540. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.16.4.533