Red wine, the natural antibiotic?

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Two cheers for red wine

10 January 2004

From New Scientist Print Edition. Subscribe and get 4 free issues.

AS IF red wine's antioxidant properties weren't enough of an excuse

for a " medicinal " tipple, there's yet more good news. It is possible

that some of the drink's ingredients behave like antibiotics,

helping prevent growth of the Chlamydia pneumoniae bacterium that

some blame for clogged arteries and heart disease (New Scientist, 11

January 2003, p 36).

The finding comes from a team led by Gail Mahady of the University

of Illinois in Chicago, who tested the effects of ingredients of red

wine on the bacteria. They included concentrated extracts from pinot

noir wine, and resveratrol, a polyphenolic chemical found in wine,

frequently credited with the drink's health benefits.

The team found that both compounds drastically stunted growth of the

bacterial colony (Atherosclerosis, vol 171, p 379). " At very low

concentrations, probably equivalent to those in a glass of wine, we

find that these components inhibit the bacteria in cell culture, "

says Mahady.

There is some evidence that C. pneumoniae aggravates inflammation

and furs up the arteries with fatty plaques. The antibacterial

effects might explain the so-called " French paradox " - that despite

their high intake of fatty foods, fewer French people suffer from

heart problems.

But she admits that other aspects of French lifestyle probably also

play a role, such as regular exercise, low sugar intake and the

smaller size of French portions compared to those dished up in the

US and elsewhere.

From issue 2429 of New Scientist magazine, 10 January 2004, page 16