Grape Seeds
are Good For Health
The following information may be pertinent to consider grapes and grape seed extract in heart disease. It is interesting to note that when we did not realize the potential of seeds in grapes, to make it attractive we engineered seedless grapes. Now it is increasingly demonstrated that most of the healthful properties of grapes are in the seeds!! The medicinal and nutritional value of grapes (Vitis vinifera) has been heralded for thousands of years. Egyptians consumed this fruit at least 6,000 years ago, and several ancient Greek philosophers praised the healing power of grapes -- usually in the form of wine. European folk healers developed an ointment from the sap of grapevines to cure skin and eye diseases. Grape leaves were used to stop bleeding, inflammation, and pain, such as the kind brought on by hemorrhoids. Unripe grapes were used to treat sore throats and dried grapes (raisins) were used to heal consumption, constipation, and thirst. The round, ripe, sweet grapes, were used to treat a range of health problems including cancer, cholera, smallpox, nausea, eye infections, and skin, kidney, and liver diseases (courtesy: University of Maryland website). The active ingredients of grape seed are believed to be due to their antioxidant properties. Oxidation of LDL cholesterol can lead to hardening of arteries. The following publications demonstrate the usefulness of grape, grape seed and grape skin in heart disease and other ailments. 1.The "French Paradox" refers to the observation that the coronary heart disease mortality rate is lower in France than in other industrialized countries with similar prevalences of coronary risk factors. This paradox has been attributed to frequent consumption of alcohol-containing beverages, which increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels and inhibit platelet function. Several epidemiologic studies suggest that ingestion of red wine, which contains several hundred different types of flavonoids, is more cardioprotective than beer or spirits.Indeed, the flavonoids found in red wine and purple grape juice (GJ) also inhibit platelet aggregation, and in 1 study, were shown to be powerful antioxidants that improved endothelial function. In that study, however, most subjects were taking vitamin E, so it is unclear if the observed results were due solely to the flavonoids in GJ or a combination of vitamin E and GJ. Furthermore, a high dose of GJ was administered (approximately 8 ml/kg/day) for only 2 weeks. The purpose of this study was to assess the endothelial function and antioxidant effects of 2 doses of purple GJ alone and in combination with vitamin E for 8 weeks. Abstract from: Chou EJ et al. Effect of ingestion of purple grape juice on endothelial function in patients with coronary heart disease.Am J Cardiol. 2001 Sep 1;88(5):553-5.2. Deaths from ischaemic heart-disease in 18 developed countries are not strongly associated with health-service factors such as doctor and nurse density. There is a negative association with gross national product per capita and a positive but inconsistent association with saturated and monounsaturated fat intake. The principal finding is a strong and specific negative association between ischaemic heart-disease deaths and alcohol consumption. This is shown to be wholly attributable to wine consumption. Abstract from: A.S. St Leger, et al, Factors associated with cardiac mortality in developed countries with particular reference to the consumption of wine. Lancet 1 (1979), pp. 1017–1020. 3. In most countries, high intake of saturated fat is positively related to high mortality from coronary heart disease (CHD). However, the situation in France is paradoxical in that there is high intake of saturated fat but low mortality from CHD. This paradox may be attributable in part to high wine consumption. Epidemiological studies indicate that consumption of alcohol at the level of intake in France (20-30 g per day) can reduce risk of CH D by at least 40%. Alcohol is believed to protect from CH D by preventing atherosclerosis through the action of high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, but serum concentrations of this factor are no higher in France than in other countries. Re-examination of previous results suggests that, in the main, moderate alcohol intake does not prevent CHD through an effect on atherosclerosis, but rather through a haemostatic mechanism. Data from Caerphilly, Wales, show that platelet aggregation, which is related to CHD, is inhibited significantly by alcohol at levels of intake associated with reduced risk of CHD. Inhibition of platelet reactivity by wine (alcohol) may be one explanation for protection from CHD in France, since pilot studies have shown that platelet reactivity is lower in France than in Scotland. Abstract from: Castelli, T. Gordon and M.C. Hjortland, Alcohol and blood lipids. Lancet 2 (1977), pp. 153–155. 4. The present study compared the efficacy of three polyphenolic extracts in their capacity to prevent hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy, increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by the aorta or the heart, and increased expression of cardiac NAD(P)H oxidase in a model of insulin resistance. Rats were fed a 60%-enriched fructose food and were treated once a day (gavage) for 6 weeks with 10 mL/kg of water only (F group) or the same amount of solution containing a red grape skin polyphenolic extract enriched in anthocyanins (ANT), a grape seed extract enriched in procyanidins and rich in galloylated procyanidins (PRO), or the commercial preparation Vitaflavan (VIT), rich in catechin oligomers. All treatments were administered at the same dose of 21 mg/kg of polyphenols. Our data indicate that (a) the ANT treatment prevented hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy, and production of ROS, (b) the PRO treatment prevented insulin resistance, hypertriglyceridemia, and overproduction of ROS but had only minor effects on hypertension or hypertrophy, while (c) Vitaflavan prevented hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy, and overproduction of ROS. All polyphenolic treatments prevented the increased expression of the p91phox NADPH oxidase subunit. In summary, our study suggest that (a) the pathogeny of cardiac hypertrophy in the fructose-fed rat disease involves both hypertension and hyperproduction of ROS, (b) polyphenolic extracts enriched in different types of polyphenols possess differential effects on insulin resistance, hypertension, and cardiac hypertrophy, and (c) polyphenols modulate the expression of NAD(P)H oxidase. Abstract from: Al-Awwadi NA. et al. Extracts enriched in different polyphenolic families normalize increased cardiac NADPH oxidase expression while having differential effects on insulin resistance, hypertension, and cardiac hypertrophy in high-fructose-fed rats. Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry. 53(1):151-7, 2005 Jan 12. 5. Grape seeds are waste products of the winery and grape juice industry. These seeds contain lipid, protein, carbohydrates, and 5-8% polyphenols depending on the variety. Polyphenols in grape seeds are mainly flavonoids, including gallic acid, the monomeric flavan-3-ols catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, and epicatechin 3-O-gallate, and procyanidin dimers, trimers, and more highly polymerized procyanidins. Grape seed extract is known as a powerful antioxidant that protects the body from premature aging, disease, and decay. Grape seeds contains mainly phenols such as proanthocyanidins (oligomeric proanthocyanidins). Scientific studies have shown that the antioxidant power of proanthocyanidins is 20 times greater than vitamin E and 50 times greater than vitamin C. Extensive research suggests that grape seed extract is beneficial in many areas of health because of its antioxidant effect to bond with collagen, promoting youthful skin, cell health, elasticity, and flexibility. Other studies have shown that proanthocyanidins help to protect the body from sun damage, to improve vision, to improve flexibility in joints, arteries, and body tissues such as the heart, and to improve blood circulation by strengthening capillaries, arteries, and veins. The most abundant phenolic compounds isolated from grape seed are catechins, epicatechin, procyanidin, and some dimers and trimers. Abstract From: Shi J. Yu J. Pohorly JE. Kakuda Y. Polyphenolics in grape seeds-biochemistry and functionality. Journal of Medicinal Food. 6(4):291-9, 2003. This is a good review. It sites 58 references. More publications: 1: Zhang XY, Li WG, Wu YJ, Gao MT. Related Articles, Links Amelioration of doxorubicin-induced myocardial oxidative stress and immunosuppression by grape seed proanthocyanidins in tumour-bearing mice. J Pharm Pharmacol. 2005 Aug;57(8):1043-52. 2: Al-Awwadi NA, Araiz C, Bornet A, Delbosc S, Cristol JP, Linck N, Azay J, Teissedre PL, Cros G. Related Articles, Links Extracts enriched in different polyphenolic families normalize increased cardiac NADPH oxidase expression while having differential effects on insulin resistance, hypertension, and cardiac hypertrophy in high-fructose-fed rats. J Agric Food Chem. 2005 Jan 12;53(1):151-7. 3: Corder R, Warburton RC, Khan NQ, Brown RE, Wood EG, Lees DM. Related Articles, Links The procyanidin-induced pseudo laminar shear stress response: a new concept for the reversal of endothelial dysfunction. Clin Sci (Lond). 2004 Nov;107(5):513-7. 4: Shi J, Yu J, Pohorly JE, Kakuda Y. Related Articles, Links Polyphenolics in grape seeds-biochemistry and functionality. J Med Food. 2003 Winter;6(4):291-9. Review. 5: Shao ZH, Vanden Hoek TL, Xie J, Wojcik K, Chan KC, Li CQ, Hamann K, Qin Y, Schumacker PT, Becker LB, Yuan CS. Related Articles, Links Grape seed proanthocyanidins induce pro-oxidant toxicity in cardiomyocytes. Cardiovasc Toxicol. 2003;3(4):331-9. 6: Bagchi D, Sen CK, Ray SD, Das DK, Bagchi M, Preuss HG, Vinson JA. Related Articles, Links Molecular mechanisms of cardioprotection by a novel grape seed proanthocyanidin extract. Mutat Res. 2003 Feb-Mar;523-524:87-97. Review. 7: Bagchi D, Ray SD, Bagchi M, Preuss HG, Stohs SJ. Related Articles, Links Mechanistic pathways of antioxidant cytoprotection by a novel IH636 grape seed proanthocyanidin extract. Indian J Exp Biol. 2002 Jun;40(6):717-26. 8: Pataki T, Bak I, Kovacs P, Bagchi D, Das DK, Tosaki A. Related Articles, Links Grape seed proanthocyanidins improved cardiac recovery during reperfusion after ischemia in isolated rat hearts. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002 May;75(5):894-9. 9: Wang MY, Su C. Related Articles, Links Cancer preventive effect of Morinda citrifolia (Noni). Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2001 Dec;952:161-8. 10: Ray S, Bagchi D, Lim PM, Bagchi M, Gross SM, Kothari SC, Preuss HG, Stohs SJ. Related Articles, Links Acute and long-term safety evaluation of a novel IH636 grape seed proanthocyanidin extract. Res Commun Mol Pathol Pharmacol. 2001 Mar-Apr;109(3-4):165-97. 11: Sato M, Bagchi D, Tosaki A, Das DK. Related Articles, Links Grape seed proanthocyanidin reduces cardiomyocyte apoptosis by inhibiting ischemia/reperfusion-induced activation of JNK-1 and C-JUN. Free Radic Biol Med. 2001 Sep 15;31(6):729-37. 12: Ray SD, Patel D, Wong V, Bagchi D. Related Articles, Links In vivo protection of dna damage associated apoptotic and necrotic cell deaths during acetaminophen-induced nephrotoxicity, amiodarone-induced lung toxicity and doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by a novel IH636 grape seed proanthocyanidin extract. Res Commun Mol Pathol Pharmacol. 2000;107(1-2):137-66. 13: Sato M, Maulik G, Ray PS, Bagchi D, Das DK. Related Articles, Links Cardioprotective effects of grape seed proanthocyanidin against ischemic reperfusion injury. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 1999 Jun;31(6):1289-97. Go To Heart Page |