Influence of Reverse Osmosis Process in Different Operating Conditions on Phenolic Profile and Antioxidant Activity of Conventional and Ecological Cabernet Sauvignon Red Wine

Red wine polyphenols are responsible for its colour, astringency, and bitterness. They are known as strong antioxidants that protect the human body from the harmful effects of free radicals and prevent various diseases. Wine phenolics are influenced by viticulture methods and vinification techniques, and therefore, conventionally and ecologically produced wines of the same variety do not have the same phenolic profile. Ecological viticulture avoids the use of chemical adjuvants in vineyards in order to minimise their negative influence on the environment, wine, and human health. The phenolic profile and antioxidant activity of wine can also be influenced by additional treatments, such as concentration by reverse osmosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of four different pressures (2.5, 3.5, 4.5, and 5.5 MPa) and two temperature regimes (with and without cooling) on the phenolic profile and antioxidant activity of conventional and ecological Cabernet Sauvignon red wine during concentration by reverse osmosis. The results showed that retention of individual phenolic compounds depended on the applied processing parameters, chemical composition of the initial wine, and chemical properties of a compound. Higher pressure and retentate cooling favoured the retention of total polyphenols, flavonoids, and monomeric anthocyanins, compared to the opposite conditions. The same trend was observed for antioxidant activity.

In Vitro and In Silico Interaction Studies with Red Wine Polyphenols against Different Proteins from Human Serum

Previous reports have shown that consumption of wine has several health benefits; however, there are different types of wine. In the present study, red wines were investigated for their compositions of active ingredients. The interaction of each component in terms of its binding mode with different serum proteins was unraveled, and the components were implicated as drug candidates in clinical settings. Overall, the study indicates that red wines have a composition of flavonoids, non-flavonoids, and phenolic acids that can interact with the key regions of proteins to enhance their biological activity. Among them, rutin, resveratrol, and tannic acid have shown good binding affinity and possess beneficial properties that can enhance their role in clinical applications.

Specificity of Saliva Esterases by Wine Carboxylic Esters and Inhibition by Wine Phenolic Compounds Under Simulated Oral Conditions

The specificity of human esterase activity (EA) from the stimulated (SS) and non-stimulated (NSS) saliva toward different typical wine odorant carboxylic esters and its inhibition by the wine phenolic compounds has been evaluated. For the specificity, six p-nitrophenyl linked esters with different carbon chain lengths (from 2 to 12 carbons) were employed. The five single phenolic compounds (catechin, quercetin, kaempferol, myricetin, and resveratrol) at typical wine concentrations were assayed in the salivary EA inhibition study. Additionally, the inhibition exerted by the mixtures of wine polyphenols was evaluated using four commercial phenolic extracts [a grape seed extract (GSE), the monomers and oligomer fraction of the GSE, and a red wine extract (RWE)]. Finally, the saliva EA under the wine consumption conditions (pH = 5 and 11.3% ethanol) was evaluated. The results showed a higher EA in SS than NSS. It was also shown that the EA was higher toward the smaller than bigger esters regardless of the saliva types (SS or NSS). However, the inhibition exerted on saliva EA by the individual and mixtures of phenolic compounds was proven. Catechin was the phenolic compound that mostly inhibited saliva EA, while resveratrol showed the lowest EA inhibition. This inhibition was mainly related to the concentration of the phenolic compounds, but also with its structure. Finally, under simulated wine consumption, a decrease in EA was produced, which was mainly provoked by the decrease in the salivary pH. Nonetheless, since salivary pH recovers a few seconds after wine consumption, saliva EA might be relevant for the long-lasting perception of wine esters.

Wine, Polyphenols, and Mediterranean Diets. What Else Is There to Say?

A considerable amount of literature has been published claiming the cardiovascular benefits of moderate (red) wine drinking, which has been considered a distinguishing trait of the Mediterranean diet. Indeed, red wine contains relevant amounts of polyphenols, for which evidence of their biological activity and positive health effects are abundant; however, it is also well-known that alcohol, even at a low level of intake, may have severe consequences for health. Among others, it is directly related to a number of non-communicable diseases, like liver cirrhosis or diverse types of cancer. The IARC classifies alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen, causally associated with the development of cancers of the upper digestive tract and liver, and, with sufficient evidence, can be positively associated with colorectum and female breast cancer. In these circumstances, it is tricky, if not irresponsible, to spread any message on the benefits of moderate wine drinking, about which no actual consensus exists. It should be further considered that other hallmarks of the Mediterranean diet are the richness in virgin olive oil, fruits, grains, and vegetables, which are also good sources of polyphenols and other phytochemicals, and lack the risks of wine. All of these aspects are reviewed in this article.

Reducing Compounds Roles in Oxidative Stress Relieving of Human Red Blood Cells

Oxidative stress is the consequence of an imbalance between pro-oxidant and antioxidant processes. Antioxidants that counteract reactive oxygen species do not all work the same way. Both resveratrol and the more powerful 4-hydroxytyrosol are excellent reducing agents. Polyphenol treatment (red wine polyphenols, resveratrol and catechin) is associated with a significant increase in anion permeability for chloride compared with control and 2.2′-azobis-2 amidinopropan dihydrochloride affected cells. Treatment with polyphenols was associated with a significant reduction in mean ± standard error of the mean membrane lipid peroxidation compared with control and 2.2′-azobis-2 amidinopropan dihydrochloride treatment. Hemolysis data are also obtained in the previously described conditions. 4-hydroxytyrosol is shown to significantly protect red blood cells from oxidative damage by 4-hydroxynonenal. But there are paradoxical effects like uric acid and creatinine. The obtained data evidence that both creatinine and uric acid levels have influence on the ratio of both malondialdehyde/protein and 4-hydroxynonenal/protein content on red blood cell ghosts, demonstrating their possible protective role against oxidative stress at low concentrations in blood and oxidizing power at higher concentrations. Finally, polyunsaturated fatty acids do not have all this reducing power.

Effects of Wine and Its Microbial-Derived Metabolites on Intestinal Permeability Using Simulated Gastrointestinal Digestion/Colonic Fermentation and Caco-2 Intestinal Cell Models

This paper explores the effects of wine polyphenols on intestinal permeability in in vitro conditions. A red wine (2500 mg/L of gallic acid equivalents) was sequentially subjected to gastrointestinal and colonic digestion in the Dynamic Gastrointestinal Simulator (simgi®) to obtain two simulated fluids: intestinal-digested wine (IDW) and colonic-digested wine (CDW). The two fluids were incubated with Caco-2 cell monolayers grown in Transwell® inserts, and paracellular permeability was measured as transport of FITC-dextran. Non-significant decreases (p > 0.05) in paracellular permeability were found, which was attributed to the relatively low phenolic concentration in the solutions tested (15.6 and 7.8 mg of gallic acid equivalents/L for IDW and CDW, respectively) as quercetin (200 µM) and one of its microbial-derived phenolic metabolites, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (200 µM), led to significant decreases (p < 0.05). The expression of tight junction (TJ) proteins (i.e., ZO-1 and occludin) in Caco-2 cells after incubation with IDW and CDW was also determined. A slight increase in mRNA levels for occludin for both IDW and CDW fluids, albeit without statistical significance (p > 0.05), was observed. Analysis of the microbiome and microbial activity during wine colonic fermentation revealed relevant changes in the relative abundance of some families/genera (i.e., reduction in Bacteroides and an increase in Veillonella, Escherichia/Shigella and Akkermansia) as well as in the microbial production of SCFA (i.e., a significant increase in propionic acid in the presence of IDW), all of which might affect paracellular permeability. Both direct and indirect (microbiota-mediated) mechanisms might be involved in the protective effects of (wine) polyphenols on intestinal barrier integrity. Overall, this paper reinforces (wine) polyphenols as a promising dietary strategy to improve gut functionality, although further studies are needed to evaluate the effect on the intestinal barrier under different conditions.

Muscadine Grape and Wine Polyphenols Alleviated the Severity of Collagen Induced Arthritis in Mice

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of concentrated muscadine grape polyphenols (MGP) and muscadine wine polyphenols (MWP) on the onset and progression of collagen induced arthritis (CIA) in mice. Methods MGP and MWP were concentrated using Amberlite XAD16N resin. Polyphenol composition was determined on HPLC. Male DBA/1 mice were divided into four treatment groups as (1) healthy control, (2) CIA control, (3) CIA + MWP, and (4) CIA + MGP. Arthritis was induced by intradermal injection of type II collagen on days 0 and day 21. Mice in groups 3 and 4 were gavaged with MWP and MGP using a dose of 400 mg/kg body weight for a total of 21 days. Severity of CIA was evaluated using clinical arthritic score and inflammation in the hind-paws. Plasma levels of cytokines, proteases, and anti-collagen antibody were measured using ELISA. Results MGP and MWP contained anthocyanin 3, 5-diglucosides, flavonols, and ellagic acid. Mice in the CIA control group had an onset of arthritis on day 18, which was delayed to day 22 and 24 by MWP and MGP, respectively (P &lt; 0.05). Severity of arthritis was much lower in mice gavaged with muscadine polyphenols after the onset. On day 42, the average arthritic score of mice in the CIA control group progressed to 7.75 on a scale of 0–16, while MGP and MWP significantly reduced this score to 3.75 and 4.00, respectively (P &lt; 0.01). In addition, MGP and MWP significantly reduced the plasma concentration of TNF-α, IL-6, anti-collagen antibodies, and matrix metalloproteinase-3 in CIA mice but not to the same level of healthy mice. The plasma concentration of IL-17 was drastically elevated in CIA mice, but it was not affected by MWP or MGP like other cytokines. This suggested that muscadine polyphenols had limited impact on the Th17 cells in the immune system. Mice gavaged with MPG and MWP had comparable plasma cytokine content, suggesting similar anti-inflammation activity. Conclusions Muscadine grape and wine polyphenols blunt the development of arthritis in mice by reducing the levels of key inflammatory cytokines, antibodies, and proteases, and may offer a promising dietary approach to manage arthritic symptoms. Funding Sources Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service and Florida Viticulture Advisory Council.

Wine Polyphenols and Health: Quantitative Research Literature Analysis

The relationship between wine polyphenols and health has been receiving growing scientific attention in the last few years. To confirm this point, the proposed paper identifies the major contributors to academic journals regarding the relationships between wine polyphenols and health. The endpoints of the proposed study are to provide a comprehensive overview and analysis of the literature regarding the relationships between wine polyphenol and health based on a bibliometric analysis. Bibliometric data were extracted from the Scopus online database using the search string TITLE-ABS-KEY (wine AND polyphenol* AND health OR (“french paradox” OR “cardiovascular disease*” OR atherosclerosis OR microbiota) and analyzed using the VOSviewer bibliometric software to generate bubble maps and to visualize the obtained results. This perspective paper analyzes: (i) the research themes addressing the relationships between wine polyphenols and health; (ii) the major contributors’ origin, e.g., country and/or regions; (iii) the institutions where the research is based; (iv) the authors; and (v) the type of paper. These results represent a useful tool to identify emerging research directions, collaboration networks, and suggestions for more in-depth literature searches.

The Pro-Oxidant Activity of Red Wine Polyphenols Induces an Adaptive Antioxidant Response in Human Erythrocytes

The protective effect of dealcoholized red wine on human health has been partially associated with its polyphenolic components, suggesting that the pool of polyphenols, including flavonoids and anthocyanins, can be responsible for the functional effects of this beverage. We hypothesize a new role of red wine polyphenols (RWp) in modulating the antioxidant potential of erythrocytes, protecting them against oxidative stress. We previously demonstrated that RWp activated the Plasma Membrane Redox System (PMRS), which is involved in neutralizing plasma free radicals. Here, we investigated the underlying mechanism triggered by RWp in the activation of PMRS via the involvement of GSH. Hence, treatment of human erythrocytes with RWp (73 μg/mL Gallic Acid Equivalents) increased GSH intracellular concentration, which depends upon the activation of glutathione reductase (GR) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), whose enzymatic activities increase of about 30% and 47%, respectively. Changes in the GSH pathway induced by RWp were associated with a slight but significant increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS). We conclude that the pro-oxidant effect of RWp promoted an adaptive stress response in human erythrocytes, which enhances their antioxidant defense.