by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
Editor of NaturalNews.com (See all articles...)
(NaturalNews) Just how good is resveratrol at preventing cancer and heart disease? It's so good that drug companies are trying to mimic its molecules in order to claim they're "creating" a new drug to prevent heart disease.
But this is Mother Nature's miracle drug -- only it's not a drug. It's a molecule synthesized by plants for protecting themselves! And it turns out the same molecule can protect you from cancer, heart disease and a whole lot more.
I wanted you to read about the amazing benefits of resveratrol, so I put together this collection of quotes from top authors in the field. Read it to learn the truth about resveratrol that the drug companies and the FDA hope you never find out...
(Feel free to quote these in your own work provided you give proper credit to both the original author quoted here and this NaturalNews page.)
Resveratrol is a naturally occurring phytoalexin produced by some higher plants in response to injury or fungal infection. Phytoalexinsare chemical substances produced by plants as a defense against infection by pathogenic microorganisms, such as fungi. Alexin is from Greek, meaning to ward off or to protect. Resveratrol may also have alexin-like activity for humans.
- PDR for Nutritional Supplements by Sheldon Saul Hendler and David Rorvik
- Available on Amazon.com
Found in many plants as a phytoalexin, resveratrol is abundant in the skins of red grapes (Vitis vinifera). It has been suggested that resveratrol underlies the phenomenon known as the "French paradox." Wine is the most notable dietary source of this compound; a fluid ounce of red wine contains an average of 160 pg of resveratrol.
- Medical Herbalism: The Science Principles and Practices Of Herbal Medicine by David Hoffman, FNIMH, AHG
- Available on Amazon.com
Grape juice contains resveratrol, as does cranberry juice, but at levels that are ten times less than those in red. Resveratrol content in different food and beverages: (uG 100 G), OyG/125 ML)Grapes 1,500, Red wine 625, Peanuts 150, White wine 38, Peanut butter 50, Grape juice 65, Blueberries 3, Cranberry juice 65, Raisins 0.01; resveratrol concentration in red wine varies greatly from one grape variety to another and from one region to another, with values ranging from 1 to 13 mg/l.
- Foods that Fight Cancer by Richard Beliveau, Ph.D. and Denis Gingras, Ph.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
When incubated with hepatoma cells, resveratrol induced Phase II detoxifying enzymes that detoxified and inhibited the proliferation of these cells. Resveratrol also inhibited the development of preneoplastic lesions when mice were exposed to tumor initiators and promoters. Grape skins, leaves, juice and red wine are all good sources of resveratrol.
- Herbal Medicine, Healing and Cancer: A Comprehensive Program for Prevention and Treatment by Donald R. Yance, j r.,C.N., M.H., A.H.G., with Arlene Valentine
- Available on Amazon.com
A series of laboratory experiments suggests that resveratrol inhibits the development of cancer in animals and prevents the progression of cancer. However, human research is still needed in this area. In another set of animal studies, resveratrol was shown to inhibit both the acute and chronic phases of inflammation.
- The Natural Pharmacy: Complete Home Reference to Natural Medicine by Schuyler W. Lininger, Jr. DC
- Available on Amazon.com
The active ingredient of the grape extracts is a potent flavonoid called resveratrol. Italian researchers discovered something even more profound regarding the chemistry of resveratrol. They determined that this unique chemical revitalizes nerve cells. In fact, resveratrol induced portions of the nerves to regenerate, in other words, the nerves started growing again, a feat formerly deemed impossible. A reasonable conclusion is that resveratrol is a major protector of the genes, in other words, it prevents chromosome damage. Yet, grape extracts offer another mechanism of action.
- Dr. Cass Ingram's Lifesaving Cures by Dr. Cass Ingram
- Available on Amazon.com
A partial estrogen receptor agonist itself, resveratrol is believed by some researchers to be an estrogen-receptor antagonistin the presence of estrogen, resulting in breast cancer inhibition. Finally, resveratrol has recently shown activity against herpes simplex vims types 1 and 2 in a dose-dependent manner. It appears to disrupt a critical early event in the viral reproduction cycle.
- PDR for Nutritional Supplements by Sheldon Saul Hendler and David Rorvik
- Available on Amazon.com
Darakchasava, an ayurvedic herbal remedy, has as its principal ingredient Vitis vinifera L, and therefore, contains resveratrol. It is mainly used in ayurvedic medicine as a cardiotonic. Resveratrol, which is also known as trihydroxystilbene andstilbenetriol, exists in cis and raw stereoisomeric forms. Resveratrol is the parent molecule of a family of polymers called viniferins.
- PDR for Nutritional Supplements by Sheldon Saul Hendler and David Rorvik
- Available on Amazon.com
An article in Life Sciences described a study of resveratrol and infarct size. A middle cerebral artery occlusion was induced in rats 15 minutes after pre-treatment with resveratrol. Resveratrol significantly reduced the total infarction volume (Huang et al. 2001b). Supplemental grape seed-skin extract is a good source of resveratrol.
- Disease Prevention and Treatment by The Life Extension Editorial Staff
- Available on Amazon.com
Resveratrol is an antioxidant found in many foods, but most abundandy in peanuts and red grapes. Red wine from cold climates (such as France) is a particularly good source of resveratrol. It is less concentrated in red wines from warmer climes such as California, Italy, Spain, or Portugal. Studies from the University of Illinois have shown that the number of early breast lesions and skin cancers in mice dropped dramatically when they were given high doses of resveratrol.
- AntioxidantsAgainst Cancer: How to activate your bod natural healing powers withtoday's most protective and immune-boosting supplements and foods by Ralph Moss, PhD
- Available on Amazon.com
Hu zhang (Polygonum cuspidatum) is a Chinese herb actually a weed that is the world's richest source of resveratrol,the phytochemical also found in red wine that has generated a huge buzz for its disease-preventive actions in the body. A large body ofresearch supports the role of resveratrol in resisting cancer, inflammation and heart disease. Resveratrol has been found to suppress the activation of inflammatory cytokines and COX-2, and shows special promise in preventing and slowing the progression of breast cancer. Resveratrol is also a potent antioxidant.
- AntioxidantsAgainst Cancer: How to activate your bod natural healing powers with today's most protective and immune-boosting supplements and foods by Ralph Moss, PhD
- Available on Amazon.com
Virtually every pathway for tumor growth and propagation is blocked by resveratrol. Researchers appear to have developed a consensus that low concentrations of resveratrol cannot only counteract tumor initiation but can inhibit tumor cell survival. Resveratrol targets the very machinery inside cells that promote tumor cell survival. It appears to be able to concentrate its action on tumor cells rather than healthy cells. Resveratrol has also has the ability to induce cancer cells, but not normal cells, to die off.
- You Don't Have to be Afraid of Cancer Anymore by Bill Sardi
- Available on Amazon.com
Another of the key components of grapes is resveratrol. Resveratrol belongs to a group of compounds called phytoalexins that plants produce in self-defense against environmental stressors, such as adverse weather or attack by insects or microorganisms. Resveratrol has been identified in more than seventy species of plants, including mulberries and peanuts, but the flesh of grapes is an especially good source. Resveratrol acts as an antioxidant and has also been shown to reduce the buildup of plaque in arteries.
- The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
Grapes are a whole pharmacy of healthful nutrients, many of which are potentially life extending. Take resveratrol. Resveratrol is a compound found in red wine (and usually given the credit for red wine's health-promoting properties), and in the skins of grapes. Technically, if you want to know, resveratrol belongs to a class of compounds called phytoalexins, which are chemical substances produced by plants as a defense against attack by pathogenic microorganisms.
- The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
- Available on Amazon.com
This prolonged contact during fermentation produces significant levels of resveratrol in the finished red wine. (White wine also contains resveratrol, but the seeds and skins are removed early in the white wine-making process, reducing the amount of resveratrol in the final product.) Antioxidants like resveratrol are beneficial in preventing harmful elements in the body from attacking healthy cells.
- The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
- Available on Amazon.com
An 8-ounce glass of red wine provides approximately 640 mcg of resveratrol, while a handful of peanuts provides about 73 mcg of resveratrol. Resveratrol supplements (often found in combination with grape extracts or other antioxidants) are generally taken in the amount of 200-600 mcg per day. This is far less than the amount used in animal studies to prevent cancer : equivalent to more than 500 mg (500,000 meg) per day for an average-sized human.
- The Natural Pharmacy: Complete A-Z Reference to Natural Treatments for Common Health Conditions byAlan R. Gaby, M.D., Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., Forrest Batz, Pharm.D., Rick Chester, RPh., N.D., DipLAc. George Constantine, R.Ph., Ph.D.Linnea D. Thompson, Pharm.D., N.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
In test tube and animal studies, resveratrol decreased the "stickiness" of blood platelets and helped blood vessels remain open and flexible. A series of laboratory experiments suggested that resveratrol inhibits the development of cancer in animals and prevents the progression of cancer. In other animal studies, resveratrol was shown to be an effective anti-inflammatory agent. However, human research is still needed in all of these areas.
- The Natural Pharmacy: Complete A-Z Reference to Natural Treatments for Common Health Conditions by Alan R. Gaby, M.D., Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., Forrest Batz, Pharm.D., Rick Chester, RPh., N.D., DipLAc. George Constantine, R.Ph., Ph.D., Linnea D. Thompson, Pharm.D., N.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
Red grapes produce a phytochemical called resveratrol, which protects them from ultraviolet radiation, fungus infections, and other stressors. Resveratrol activates anti-aging genes that stimulate the production of proteins that circulate in your body, throwing overboard cells that aren't pulling their weight and rejuvenating cells damaged by Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs). But don't rush out to the health food store to buy resveratrol capsules, which are generally worthless because resveratrol is inactivated by exposure to oxygen.
- Dr. Gundry's Diet Evolution: Turn Off the Genes That Are Killing You - And Your Waistline - And Drop the Weight for Good by Dr. Steven R. Gundry
- Available on Amazon.com
Research highlights a number of resveratrol effects relevant to the cardiovascular system: Antioxidant, Inhibits peroxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), Reduces platelet aggregation. Resveratrol has also been shown to function as a cancer chemopreventive agent. Such agents reduce the incidence of tumorigenesis by intervening at one or more of the stages of carcinogenesis. In research, resveratrol demonstrated chemopreventive activity in assays representing three major stages of carcinogenesis: initiation, promotion, and progression.
- Medical Herbalism: The Science Principles and Practices Of Herbal Medicine by David Hoffman, FNIMH, AHG
- Available on Amazon.com
Several plants, including grapevine, produce the stilbene-type phytoalexin resveratrol when attacked by pathogens. This compound appears to be one of the health-promoting factors of grapevine, which are associated with reduced risk of heart diseases (popularly known as "the French paradox") and long recognized by folk medicine. Clinical studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of resveratrol, isolated from red wine, on cardiovascular disease and confirmed the involvement of resveratrol in fighting arteriosclerosis and vascular tissue diseases.
- Handbook of Medicinal Plants by Amarjit S. Basra
- Available on Amazon.com
Anderson Cancer Center reviewed dozens of studies on resveratrol and concluded that it exhibited anticancer properties against a widerange of tumor cells, including lymphoid and myeloid cancers, multiple myeloma, cancers of the breast, prostate, stomach, colon, pancreas, and thyroid, melanoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, ovarian, carcinoma, and cervical carcinoma. The researchers concluded that"resveratrol appears to exhibit therapeutic effects against cancer." Resveratrol may be one of the best antiaging substances around.
- The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
- Available on Amazon.com
Resveratrol is a compound produced by grapes in self-defense against environmental stressors, such as attack by insects or fungal infection. Organically grown grapes have been found to produce much higher amounts of resveratrol than conventionally grown grapes, which are already protected by treatment with man-made fungicides.
- The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
Harvard University Medical School, says the life span of all life forms tested so far east cells, fruit flies, worms, and mice have been dramatically lengthened by minute amounts of resveratrol. That's one of the reasons resveratrol is touted (by me among others) as one of the best anti-aging supplements you can take. But you don't have to take a supplement to get your daily dosage of this antiaging compound. Just make grapes a part of your diet! The skins of the dark (red, purple) grapes are the best source. The benefits of grapes don't stop with resveratrol.
- The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
- Available on Amazon.com
This may also be why resveratrol has such powerful research showing it not only prevents cancer, but may actually be considered as a treatment. resveratrol stops cancer in a variety of ways, from blocking estrogens and androgens to modulating genes. It has even shown a 30-71 percent ability to block bone metastasis. resveratrol appears to moderate the body's detrimental inflammatory response to injury of the brain and spinal cord. It has also been shown to protect on many levels, including the antioxidant level, against heart and blood vessel disease.
- Spiritual Nutrition: Six Foundations for Spiritual Life and the Awakening of Kundalini by Gabriel Cousens, M.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
At the time that book was written, Japanese researchers had just discovered an antifungal compound in grapes called resveratrol,which lowered cholesterol levels in rats and showed promise of doing the same in humans. Since then, researchers at the University of Illinois, under the direction of Dr. John Pezzuto, have uncovered new and exciting information about resveratrol. Studies have shown that resveratrol may prevent heart disease in two important ways. First, it inhibits the formation of blood clots, which can trigger both heart attack and stroke.
- Earl Mindell's Supplement Bible: A Comprehensive Guide to Hundreds of NEW Natural Products that Will Help You Live Longer, Look Better, Stay Heathier, ... and Much More! by Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.
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Red wine catechins are extracted from the skin of red wine grapes. The most active red wine catechin is resveratrol,a compound the grape plant manufactures in the skin of the fruit to deter gray mold. Although red wine catechins are found in purple grape juice and red wine, resveratrol is most abundant in immature grapes (which are more susceptible to mold) and in grapes grown in damp climates, especially on Long Island in New York.
- Prescription for Herbal Healing: An Easy-to-Use A-Z Reference to Hundreds of Common Disorders and Their Herbal Remedies by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
- Available on Amazon.com
Pezzuto and colleagues were able to show that resveratrol was effective during all three phases of the cancer process: initiation, promotion, and progression. For example, resveratrol displayed antimutagenic and antioxidant activity, providing greater protection against DNA damage than vitamins C, E, or beta-carotene. UIC researchers showed that resveratrol restored glutathione levels, considered by some the most essential of antioxidants (Jang et al. 1999).
- Disease Prevention and Treatment by The Life Extension Editorial Staff
- Available on Amazon.com
The second has been the discovery of a substance named resveratrol, a natural phytoalexin found in grapes, which may play a role in preventing heart attacks. Resveratrol appears also to inhibit cellular processes that are associated with tumor initiation, promotion, and progression. Most of the known vitamins and trace minerals are present in grapes. Resveratrol (which is related to another compound found in health food stores, quercetin) is found in wine at twice the level of grape juce.
- Herbs Against Cancer: History and Controversy by Ralph W. Moss PhD
- Available on Amazon.com
Other studies, in animals and in vitro, have shown that resveratrol can inhibit the oxidation of LDL-cholesterol and, more recently, that it can reduce smooth muscle cell proliferation, believed to be one of the requisites of atherogenesis, by 70-90%, in a dose-dependent pattern. Red wine extract and resveratrol have shown equally significant cardioprotective effects in animal models of myocardial ischemic reperfusion injury. Additional evidence suggests that resveratrol also has estrogenic effects that may also provide cardiovascular protection.
- PDR for Nutritional Supplements by Sheldon Saul Hendler and David Rorvik
- Available on Amazon.com
Other researchers are impressed with the range of activity that resveratrol appears to have against cancer, and some believe that there may be even more powerful agents to be found in fruits and vegetables. Thomas W. Kensler of the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health said that the resveratrol discovery "provides the scientific underpinnings" for studies that have found health benefits from grapes and wine. Grapeseed extract is a commercial grape formulation that does not contain resveratrol.
- The Natural Pharmacist: Your Complete Guide to Reducing Cancer Risk by Richard Harkness
- Available on Amazon.com
The large amount of resveratrol present in red wine is explained not only by the prolonged fermentation period of the grape (the grape juice that still contains the fruit's skins and seeds), during which the molecules are extracted from the skins and seeds, but also by the fact that the absence of oxygen in the bottle prevents the resveratrol from oxidizing. This is why raisins, also very rich in polyphenols, do not contain any resveratrol, which in their case is degraded by exposure to air and sunlight.
- Foods that Fight Cancer by Richard Beliveau, Ph.D. and Denis Gingras, Ph.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
Although the anti-cancer potential of red wine remains to be more clearly established, there is no doubt that this anti-cancer activity is in large part due to the presence of resveratrol. In fact, of all naturally occurring molecules possessing anti-cancer activity that have recently been studied, resveratrol commands a great deal of enthusiasm.
- Foods that Fight Cancer by Richard Beliveau, Ph.D. and Denis Gingras, Ph.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
Even more interesting from a nutritional point of view are recent results indicating that certain molecules of dietary origin, including quercetin and especially resveratrol, are very powerful sirtuin activators; it is this activation that may increase cell longevity. For example, the addition of resveratrol to a growth culture of single-celled organisms such as yeast increases cell lifespan by 80%. Generally, yeasts live for nineteen generations; adding resveratrol boosted life expectancy to a maximum of thirty-eight generations!
- Foods that Fight Cancer by Richard Beliveau, Ph.D. and Denis Gingras, Ph.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
To further make the point of the main theoretical principle of the Tree of Life 21-Day + Program, Life Extension 2004 reports that aphytonutrient, resveratrol, has been found by Harvard Medical School researchers to activate alongevity gene in yeast that extends life by 70 percent.
- There Is a Cure for Diabetes: The Tree of Life 21-Day+ Program by Gabriel Cousens
- Available on Amazon.com
Grapes, as well as many berries and some nuts, contain a phytoalexin component called resveratrol that has shown cancer chemopreventive activity. Resveratrol has been found to act as an antioxidant, antimutagen, and anti-inflammatory. It has also been shown to inhibit the development of breast cancer and induce antiprogression activity in human myelocytic leukemia. The highest levels of resveratrol (up to one hundred times more than grapes) are found in grape leaves.
- Herbal Medicine, Healing and Cancer: A Comprehensive Program for Prevention and Treatment by Donald R. Yance, j r.,C.N., M.H., A.H.G., with Arlene Valentine
- Available on Amazon.com
It is now believed that the blood thinning resveratrol, as well as the so called flavonoids in red wine, are partial antidotes and help maintain a healthy heart. Resveratrol is a natural fungicide produced by grapes and is primarily found in their skins. Because resveratrol is produced in much higher quantities in grapes that are organically grown, organic red grapes may be a good option if you don't want to drink wine. Wine grapes are crushed with the seeds and cluster stems as part of the wine.
- Eat To Beat Cancer: A Research Scientist Explains How You and Your Family Can Avoid Up to 90% of All Cancers by J. Robert Hatherill
- Available on Amazon.com
In 1997, a team led by pharmacy professor John Pezzuto announced that a substance in red wine, which was later named resveratrol, inhibited the onset and progression of cancer in mice. UIC reported that resveratrol is one of a group of compounds called phytoalexins that are produced in plants during times of environmental stress, such as adverse weather or insect, animal, or pathogenic attack. Resveratrol has been identified in more than 70 species of plants, including mulberries and peanuts, but the skins of red grapes are a particularly rich source (Jang et al. 1999).
- Disease Prevention and Treatment by The Life Extension Editorial Staff
- Available on Amazon.com
Preliminary studies have found that people who drink red wine, which contains resveratrol, are at lower risk of death from heart disease. Because of its antioxidant activity and its effect on platelets, some researchers believe that resveratrol is the protective agent in red wine. Resveratrol research remains very preliminary, however, and as yet there is no evidence that the amounts found in supplements help prevent atherosclerosis in humans.
- The Natural Pharmacy: Complete A-Z Reference to Natural Treatments for Common Health Conditions by Alan R. Gaby, M.D., Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., Forrest Batz, Pharm.D., Rick Chester, RPh., N.D., DipLAc. George Constantine, R.Ph., Ph.D., Linnea D. Thompson, Pharm.D., N.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
Resveratrol is a phytochemical found in grapes that has proven to be effective against cancer in cell and animal studies. It inhibits cancer initiation, promotion, and progression: the three major stages of cancer development. Saponins are phytochemicals found in legumes, most notably soybeans. They have the ability to combine oil and water, which helps them bind to cholesterol and increase its excretion from the body. They also appear to have anticancer properties, as they interfere with the process by which DNA reproduces.
- Foods That Fight Disease: A Simple Guide to Using and Understanding Phytonutrients to Protect and Enhance Your Health by Laurie Deutsch Mozian, M.S., R.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
Creasy's analysis of 30 types of wine found the most resveratrol in a red French Bordeaux and the least in a white Bordeaux.Dr. Creasy also found the anticoagulant in purple (but not white) grape juice. It takes about three times as much grape juice as red Bordeaux wine to get equal amounts of the compound, he figures. Table grapes, found in supermarkets, probably contain little of the substance because they are carefully cultivated to prevent fungal infections and blemishes. A pound of home-grown grapes, however, can have as much resveratrol as two cups of red wine, says Dr. Creasy.
- Food Your Miracle Medicine by Jean Carper
- Available on Amazon.com
The Japanese have concentrated this grape compound, called resveratrol, into a drug and, in tests, have found it hinders blood platelet clumping that leads to blood clots and reduces fatty deposits in animal livers. If you drink red grape juice or red wine you may get some resveratrol, which is concentrated in grape skins, says Leroy Creasy, Ph.D., a professor at Cornell University's College of Agriculture. Dr. Creasy detected high concentrations of the anticlotting substance in red wine, but not in white wine.
- Food Your Miracle Medicine by Jean Carper
- Available on Amazon.com
There are a few leaders in the antioxidant army selenium, vitamin E, and resveratrol. In a recent study from Sweden, low selenium levels appeared to increase a persons risk for getting a certain kind of RA. Some experts think raising your selenium intake might even help to reduce your swelling and pain. Low vitamin E levels, on the other hand, raised the risk for all types of RA.Boost your selenium levels with seafood, mushrooms, dairy, and whole wheat. Rich sources of vitamin E include fortified cereals, vegetable oils, peanuts, and fish. Resveratrol mainly comes from grapes.
- Eat and Heal (Foods That Can Prevent or Cure Many Common Ailments) by the Editors of FC&A Medical Publishing
- Available on Amazon.com
Resveratrol, the plant estrogen that works like an antioxidant to combat heart disease, the Peanut Institute says to look no further than a handful of peanuts. One ounce, they say, contains about as much resveratrol as 2 pounds of grapes. Helps shed unwanted pounds. But what about your waistline? Peanuts are still high in fat, even if it is heart-healthy fat. Experts say, however, you don't have to give up these crunchy tidbits. They are full of protein and fiber and give a lot of energy bang for the buck.
- Eat and Heal (Foods That Can Prevent or Cure Many Common Ailments) by the Editors of FC&A Medical Publishing
- Available on Amazon.com
Since resveratrol was only recently identified, no definitive human studies have been done. However, the cancer-preventive effects it shows in the lab and in animals is sure to lead to more research. Resveratrol was recently discovered by John Pezzuto and his team from the University of Illinois. A study published in the January 10, 1997, issue of Science detailed their attempts to track down anticancer substances in readily available foods. After hundreds of tests, the grape came out with the highest marks, inhibiting three different stages of cancer development.
- The Natural Pharmacist: Your Complete Guide to Reducing Cancer Risk by Richard Harkness
- Available on Amazon.com
The compound of most interest is resveratrol, a hydroxystilbene first isolated from the roots of the white hellebore (Veratrum album var. grandiflorum). Hydroxystilbenes are found in a variety of plants, many unrelated. They are a prominent component of many species of the Polygonaceae family (Rheum, Polygonum spp.) but the richest source is found in grape skins and red wine. Resveratol is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet and antiallergy agent with demonstrated cancer-preventative activity (Cheong et al).
- The Constituents of Medicinal Plants: An Introduction to the Chemistry and Therapeutics of Herbal Medicine by Andrew Pengelly
- Available on Amazon.com
Nearly 100 scientific studies have attributed other cancer-fighting effects to resveratrol. Scientists at the Chungang University in Seoul, Korea, found that it deactivates some forms of the liver enzyme. This enzyme is necessary to transform many chemicals into a carcinogenic form. Their research was confirmed by the U.S. National Cancer Institute and the Samuel Lunenfield Research Institute in Toronto, which further learned that resveratrol stops the liver from processing chemicals such as deadly dioxin into a carcinogenic form.
- Prescription for Herbal Healing: An Easy-to-Use A-Z Reference to Hundreds of Common Disorders and Their Herbal Remedies by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
- Available on Amazon.com
Grape skins contain resveratrol, a type of plant estrogen, also called a phytoestrogen. In your body resveratrol fights inflammation and prevents blood clots. Grape skins also contain the powerful flavonoid quercetin. It works as an antioxidant to prevent the low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol from building up in your artery walls and blocking blood flow to your heart and brain. It also stops your blood from turning sticky and clumping together. Blood moves through your arteries more easily, taking some of the pressure off your heart and reducing your risk of stroke.
- Eat and Heal (Foods That Can Prevent or Cure Many Common Ailments) by the Editors of FC&A Medical Publishing
- Available on Amazon.com
Resveratrol is a compound found in red wine that has potent antioxidant activity. Preliminary research has demonstrated cardiovascular benefit and possible anticancer properties.
- Prescription for Natural Cures: A Self-Care Guide for Treating Health Problems with Natural Remedies Including Diet and Nutrition, Nutritional Supplements, Bodywork, and More by James F. Balch, M.D. and Mark Stengler, N.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
Red wine also has a number of phenolics, the most important being resveratrol and quercetin, which alter gene expression and enhance phenotypic expression to protect against blood clot formation as in heart disease. Resveratrol also has certain anti-aging qualities that are recently being touted to mimic the calorie restriction effect. However, red wine also has the downside of being alcohol. Alcohol does many things to disregulate and undermine healthy gene expression, particularly in the neurotransmitter systems, as well as other systems in the body.
- Spiritual Nutrition: Six Foundations for Spiritual Life and the Awakening of Kundalini by Gabriel Cousens, M.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
Trials to determine the effects of resveratrol on the three stages of cancer were completed without toxicity to blood-forming cells. The following studies illustrate the many pathways resveratrol employs to inhibit cancer: Italian researchers recently determined that resveratrol exhibited a protective role against colon carcinogenesis, with the defense attributed to changes occuring in Bax protein, which encourages apoptosis, and expression (Tessitore et al. 2000).
- Disease Prevention and Treatment by The Life Extension Editorial Staff
- Available on Amazon.com
The skin of red grapes contains a compound called resveratrol, which has recently come into vogue. Several studies have shown that this polyphenic compound increases levels of an enzyme oxygenase that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and may protect against neuronal cell dysfunction. Red wines are fermented with grape skins, allowing the wine to absorb greater amounts of resveratrol than white wines, which are fermented without grape skins. Thus, some nutritionists are recommending a little red for the head.
- The Myth of Alzheimer's: What You Aren't Being Told About Today's Most Dreaded Diagnosis by Peter J. Whitehouse and Daniel George
- Available on Amazon.com
Of late, considerable attention has been devoted by scientists to the antioxidant properties of red wine's phenolic constituent, resveratrol, as an important contributor. White wine contains much less of this antioxidant, and therefore it has fewer health benefits. resveratrol, unfortunately is not in green tea. However, green tea may offer even greater potential for health protection, since it not only includes the flavonoids active in red wine but also includes even more powerfully protective flavonoids that are unique to it.
- The Green Tea Book by Lester A. Mitscher and Victoria Toews
- Available on Amazon.com
Resveratrol, a known antioxidant, but one that has also been found to be much less potent than antioxidants containing proanthocyanidins or monomeric catechins. In 1992, M. E. Cuvelier and H. Richard in Biosci. and Biotech Biochem 1992 reviewed several papers that described the chemical mechanism of the antioxidant effect of proanthocyanidins and their building blocks, the catechins.
- The Super Anti-Oxidants: Why They Will Change the Face of Healthcare in the 21st Century by James F. Balch, M.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
One of the ways to activate sirtuin is through resveratrol, found in red wine. You get the health benefits of wine-lower LDL, more antioxidants the skin of the grape touches the seeds for at least three weeks. But in many of today's wines, that time is less than a week. Another factor: The smaller the grape and the more seeds it has, and the cooler the climate it grows in, the better. Knotweed (aJapanese plant) has forty times more resveratrol per pound than grapes do, and it grows everywhere (and makes a great apple pie).
- You: Staying Young: The Owner's Manual for Extending Your Warranty by Mehmet C. Oz., M.D. and Michael F. Roizen, M.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
Peanuts also contain surprise components such as the flavonoid resveratrol and myoinositol. The myoinositol helps combat nerve damage and is anti-diabetic. Resveratrol is perhaps the most powerful naturally occurring anti-cancer substance known. The value of these unique naturally occurring substances in peanuts is notable. Researchers at the University of Alabama found that diabetics with nerve damage improved significantly simply by incorporating peanuts and other myoinositol-rich foods into the diet.
- Dr. Cass Ingram's Lifesaving Cures by Dr. Cass Ingram
- Available on Amazon.com
Scientists have proven that resveratrol works by reducing NF kappaB, thereby stopping the breast-cancer activity. There is plenty of science to show that resveratrol is a potent anti-breast cancer and highly protective nutrient. The bioflavonoid quercetin, found in fresh vine ripened fruit and available as a nutritional supplement, induces death in breast cancer cells. Quercetin demonstrated the ability to prevent environmental chemicals from promoting estrogen driven breast cancer.
- Mastering Leptin: The Leptin Diet, Solving Obesity and Preventing Disease, Second Edition by Byron J. Richards, CCN
- Available on Amazon.com
Grape skins and red wine contain resveratrol, a phenolic compound, and phytoalexin, a compound produced by plants in response to environmental stressors. Resveratrol apparently inhibits platelet aggregation and eicosanoid syntheses and blocks cellular events linked to tumor initiation, promotion and progression. These effects seem to be independent of its antioxidant properties. Tea is a rich source of polyphenols that are highly substituted with hydroxyl groups.
- Textbook of Natural Medicine 2nd Edition Volume 1 by Michael T. Murray, ND
- Available on Amazon.com
Suppressing the growth cycle allows for a critical phase in cellular development refened to as differentiation, that is, an atypical cell becomes more typical. Resveratrol appears a promising anticancer agent for both hormone-dependent and hormone-independent breast cancers. At high concentrations, resveratrol caused suppression of cell growth in three breast cancer cell lines: ER-positive KPL-1 and MCF-7 and ER-negative MKL-F. Growth inhibition was credited in part to upregulation of Bax protein and activation of caspase-3 (a key mediator of apoptosis in mammalian cells).
- Disease Prevention and Treatment by The Life Extension Editorial Staff
- Available on Amazon.com
But this is Mother Nature's miracle drug -- only it's not a drug. It's a molecule synthesized by plants for protecting themselves! And it turns out the same molecule can protect you from cancer, heart disease and a whole lot more.
I wanted you to read about the amazing benefits of resveratrol, so I put together this collection of quotes from top authors in the field. Read it to learn the truth about resveratrol that the drug companies and the FDA hope you never find out...
Authors' Quotes on Resveratrol
(Feel free to quote these in your own work provided you give proper credit to both the original author quoted here and this NaturalNews page.)
Resveratrol is a naturally occurring phytoalexin produced by some higher plants in response to injury or fungal infection. Phytoalexinsare chemical substances produced by plants as a defense against infection by pathogenic microorganisms, such as fungi. Alexin is from Greek, meaning to ward off or to protect. Resveratrol may also have alexin-like activity for humans.
- PDR for Nutritional Supplements by Sheldon Saul Hendler and David Rorvik
- Available on Amazon.com
Found in many plants as a phytoalexin, resveratrol is abundant in the skins of red grapes (Vitis vinifera). It has been suggested that resveratrol underlies the phenomenon known as the "French paradox." Wine is the most notable dietary source of this compound; a fluid ounce of red wine contains an average of 160 pg of resveratrol.
- Medical Herbalism: The Science Principles and Practices Of Herbal Medicine by David Hoffman, FNIMH, AHG
- Available on Amazon.com
Grape juice contains resveratrol, as does cranberry juice, but at levels that are ten times less than those in red. Resveratrol content in different food and beverages: (uG 100 G), OyG/125 ML)Grapes 1,500, Red wine 625, Peanuts 150, White wine 38, Peanut butter 50, Grape juice 65, Blueberries 3, Cranberry juice 65, Raisins 0.01; resveratrol concentration in red wine varies greatly from one grape variety to another and from one region to another, with values ranging from 1 to 13 mg/l.
- Foods that Fight Cancer by Richard Beliveau, Ph.D. and Denis Gingras, Ph.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
When incubated with hepatoma cells, resveratrol induced Phase II detoxifying enzymes that detoxified and inhibited the proliferation of these cells. Resveratrol also inhibited the development of preneoplastic lesions when mice were exposed to tumor initiators and promoters. Grape skins, leaves, juice and red wine are all good sources of resveratrol.
- Herbal Medicine, Healing and Cancer: A Comprehensive Program for Prevention and Treatment by Donald R. Yance, j r.,C.N., M.H., A.H.G., with Arlene Valentine
- Available on Amazon.com
A series of laboratory experiments suggests that resveratrol inhibits the development of cancer in animals and prevents the progression of cancer. However, human research is still needed in this area. In another set of animal studies, resveratrol was shown to inhibit both the acute and chronic phases of inflammation.
- The Natural Pharmacy: Complete Home Reference to Natural Medicine by Schuyler W. Lininger, Jr. DC
- Available on Amazon.com
The active ingredient of the grape extracts is a potent flavonoid called resveratrol. Italian researchers discovered something even more profound regarding the chemistry of resveratrol. They determined that this unique chemical revitalizes nerve cells. In fact, resveratrol induced portions of the nerves to regenerate, in other words, the nerves started growing again, a feat formerly deemed impossible. A reasonable conclusion is that resveratrol is a major protector of the genes, in other words, it prevents chromosome damage. Yet, grape extracts offer another mechanism of action.
- Dr. Cass Ingram's Lifesaving Cures by Dr. Cass Ingram
- Available on Amazon.com
A partial estrogen receptor agonist itself, resveratrol is believed by some researchers to be an estrogen-receptor antagonistin the presence of estrogen, resulting in breast cancer inhibition. Finally, resveratrol has recently shown activity against herpes simplex vims types 1 and 2 in a dose-dependent manner. It appears to disrupt a critical early event in the viral reproduction cycle.
- PDR for Nutritional Supplements by Sheldon Saul Hendler and David Rorvik
- Available on Amazon.com
Darakchasava, an ayurvedic herbal remedy, has as its principal ingredient Vitis vinifera L, and therefore, contains resveratrol. It is mainly used in ayurvedic medicine as a cardiotonic. Resveratrol, which is also known as trihydroxystilbene andstilbenetriol, exists in cis and raw stereoisomeric forms. Resveratrol is the parent molecule of a family of polymers called viniferins.
- PDR for Nutritional Supplements by Sheldon Saul Hendler and David Rorvik
- Available on Amazon.com
An article in Life Sciences described a study of resveratrol and infarct size. A middle cerebral artery occlusion was induced in rats 15 minutes after pre-treatment with resveratrol. Resveratrol significantly reduced the total infarction volume (Huang et al. 2001b). Supplemental grape seed-skin extract is a good source of resveratrol.
- Disease Prevention and Treatment by The Life Extension Editorial Staff
- Available on Amazon.com
Resveratrol is an antioxidant found in many foods, but most abundandy in peanuts and red grapes. Red wine from cold climates (such as France) is a particularly good source of resveratrol. It is less concentrated in red wines from warmer climes such as California, Italy, Spain, or Portugal. Studies from the University of Illinois have shown that the number of early breast lesions and skin cancers in mice dropped dramatically when they were given high doses of resveratrol.
- AntioxidantsAgainst Cancer: How to activate your bod natural healing powers withtoday's most protective and immune-boosting supplements and foods by Ralph Moss, PhD
- Available on Amazon.com
Hu zhang (Polygonum cuspidatum) is a Chinese herb actually a weed that is the world's richest source of resveratrol,the phytochemical also found in red wine that has generated a huge buzz for its disease-preventive actions in the body. A large body ofresearch supports the role of resveratrol in resisting cancer, inflammation and heart disease. Resveratrol has been found to suppress the activation of inflammatory cytokines and COX-2, and shows special promise in preventing and slowing the progression of breast cancer. Resveratrol is also a potent antioxidant.
- AntioxidantsAgainst Cancer: How to activate your bod natural healing powers with today's most protective and immune-boosting supplements and foods by Ralph Moss, PhD
- Available on Amazon.com
Virtually every pathway for tumor growth and propagation is blocked by resveratrol. Researchers appear to have developed a consensus that low concentrations of resveratrol cannot only counteract tumor initiation but can inhibit tumor cell survival. Resveratrol targets the very machinery inside cells that promote tumor cell survival. It appears to be able to concentrate its action on tumor cells rather than healthy cells. Resveratrol has also has the ability to induce cancer cells, but not normal cells, to die off.
- You Don't Have to be Afraid of Cancer Anymore by Bill Sardi
- Available on Amazon.com
Another of the key components of grapes is resveratrol. Resveratrol belongs to a group of compounds called phytoalexins that plants produce in self-defense against environmental stressors, such as adverse weather or attack by insects or microorganisms. Resveratrol has been identified in more than seventy species of plants, including mulberries and peanuts, but the flesh of grapes is an especially good source. Resveratrol acts as an antioxidant and has also been shown to reduce the buildup of plaque in arteries.
- The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
Grapes are a whole pharmacy of healthful nutrients, many of which are potentially life extending. Take resveratrol. Resveratrol is a compound found in red wine (and usually given the credit for red wine's health-promoting properties), and in the skins of grapes. Technically, if you want to know, resveratrol belongs to a class of compounds called phytoalexins, which are chemical substances produced by plants as a defense against attack by pathogenic microorganisms.
- The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
- Available on Amazon.com
This prolonged contact during fermentation produces significant levels of resveratrol in the finished red wine. (White wine also contains resveratrol, but the seeds and skins are removed early in the white wine-making process, reducing the amount of resveratrol in the final product.) Antioxidants like resveratrol are beneficial in preventing harmful elements in the body from attacking healthy cells.
- The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
- Available on Amazon.com
An 8-ounce glass of red wine provides approximately 640 mcg of resveratrol, while a handful of peanuts provides about 73 mcg of resveratrol. Resveratrol supplements (often found in combination with grape extracts or other antioxidants) are generally taken in the amount of 200-600 mcg per day. This is far less than the amount used in animal studies to prevent cancer : equivalent to more than 500 mg (500,000 meg) per day for an average-sized human.
- The Natural Pharmacy: Complete A-Z Reference to Natural Treatments for Common Health Conditions byAlan R. Gaby, M.D., Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., Forrest Batz, Pharm.D., Rick Chester, RPh., N.D., DipLAc. George Constantine, R.Ph., Ph.D.Linnea D. Thompson, Pharm.D., N.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
In test tube and animal studies, resveratrol decreased the "stickiness" of blood platelets and helped blood vessels remain open and flexible. A series of laboratory experiments suggested that resveratrol inhibits the development of cancer in animals and prevents the progression of cancer. In other animal studies, resveratrol was shown to be an effective anti-inflammatory agent. However, human research is still needed in all of these areas.
- The Natural Pharmacy: Complete A-Z Reference to Natural Treatments for Common Health Conditions by Alan R. Gaby, M.D., Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., Forrest Batz, Pharm.D., Rick Chester, RPh., N.D., DipLAc. George Constantine, R.Ph., Ph.D., Linnea D. Thompson, Pharm.D., N.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
Red grapes produce a phytochemical called resveratrol, which protects them from ultraviolet radiation, fungus infections, and other stressors. Resveratrol activates anti-aging genes that stimulate the production of proteins that circulate in your body, throwing overboard cells that aren't pulling their weight and rejuvenating cells damaged by Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs). But don't rush out to the health food store to buy resveratrol capsules, which are generally worthless because resveratrol is inactivated by exposure to oxygen.
- Dr. Gundry's Diet Evolution: Turn Off the Genes That Are Killing You - And Your Waistline - And Drop the Weight for Good by Dr. Steven R. Gundry
- Available on Amazon.com
Research highlights a number of resveratrol effects relevant to the cardiovascular system: Antioxidant, Inhibits peroxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), Reduces platelet aggregation. Resveratrol has also been shown to function as a cancer chemopreventive agent. Such agents reduce the incidence of tumorigenesis by intervening at one or more of the stages of carcinogenesis. In research, resveratrol demonstrated chemopreventive activity in assays representing three major stages of carcinogenesis: initiation, promotion, and progression.
- Medical Herbalism: The Science Principles and Practices Of Herbal Medicine by David Hoffman, FNIMH, AHG
- Available on Amazon.com
Several plants, including grapevine, produce the stilbene-type phytoalexin resveratrol when attacked by pathogens. This compound appears to be one of the health-promoting factors of grapevine, which are associated with reduced risk of heart diseases (popularly known as "the French paradox") and long recognized by folk medicine. Clinical studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of resveratrol, isolated from red wine, on cardiovascular disease and confirmed the involvement of resveratrol in fighting arteriosclerosis and vascular tissue diseases.
- Handbook of Medicinal Plants by Amarjit S. Basra
- Available on Amazon.com
Anderson Cancer Center reviewed dozens of studies on resveratrol and concluded that it exhibited anticancer properties against a widerange of tumor cells, including lymphoid and myeloid cancers, multiple myeloma, cancers of the breast, prostate, stomach, colon, pancreas, and thyroid, melanoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, ovarian, carcinoma, and cervical carcinoma. The researchers concluded that"resveratrol appears to exhibit therapeutic effects against cancer." Resveratrol may be one of the best antiaging substances around.
- The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
- Available on Amazon.com
Resveratrol is a compound produced by grapes in self-defense against environmental stressors, such as attack by insects or fungal infection. Organically grown grapes have been found to produce much higher amounts of resveratrol than conventionally grown grapes, which are already protected by treatment with man-made fungicides.
- The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
Harvard University Medical School, says the life span of all life forms tested so far east cells, fruit flies, worms, and mice have been dramatically lengthened by minute amounts of resveratrol. That's one of the reasons resveratrol is touted (by me among others) as one of the best anti-aging supplements you can take. But you don't have to take a supplement to get your daily dosage of this antiaging compound. Just make grapes a part of your diet! The skins of the dark (red, purple) grapes are the best source. The benefits of grapes don't stop with resveratrol.
- The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
- Available on Amazon.com
This may also be why resveratrol has such powerful research showing it not only prevents cancer, but may actually be considered as a treatment. resveratrol stops cancer in a variety of ways, from blocking estrogens and androgens to modulating genes. It has even shown a 30-71 percent ability to block bone metastasis. resveratrol appears to moderate the body's detrimental inflammatory response to injury of the brain and spinal cord. It has also been shown to protect on many levels, including the antioxidant level, against heart and blood vessel disease.
- Spiritual Nutrition: Six Foundations for Spiritual Life and the Awakening of Kundalini by Gabriel Cousens, M.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
At the time that book was written, Japanese researchers had just discovered an antifungal compound in grapes called resveratrol,which lowered cholesterol levels in rats and showed promise of doing the same in humans. Since then, researchers at the University of Illinois, under the direction of Dr. John Pezzuto, have uncovered new and exciting information about resveratrol. Studies have shown that resveratrol may prevent heart disease in two important ways. First, it inhibits the formation of blood clots, which can trigger both heart attack and stroke.
- Earl Mindell's Supplement Bible: A Comprehensive Guide to Hundreds of NEW Natural Products that Will Help You Live Longer, Look Better, Stay Heathier, ... and Much More! by Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.
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Red wine catechins are extracted from the skin of red wine grapes. The most active red wine catechin is resveratrol,a compound the grape plant manufactures in the skin of the fruit to deter gray mold. Although red wine catechins are found in purple grape juice and red wine, resveratrol is most abundant in immature grapes (which are more susceptible to mold) and in grapes grown in damp climates, especially on Long Island in New York.
- Prescription for Herbal Healing: An Easy-to-Use A-Z Reference to Hundreds of Common Disorders and Their Herbal Remedies by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
- Available on Amazon.com
Pezzuto and colleagues were able to show that resveratrol was effective during all three phases of the cancer process: initiation, promotion, and progression. For example, resveratrol displayed antimutagenic and antioxidant activity, providing greater protection against DNA damage than vitamins C, E, or beta-carotene. UIC researchers showed that resveratrol restored glutathione levels, considered by some the most essential of antioxidants (Jang et al. 1999).
- Disease Prevention and Treatment by The Life Extension Editorial Staff
- Available on Amazon.com
The second has been the discovery of a substance named resveratrol, a natural phytoalexin found in grapes, which may play a role in preventing heart attacks. Resveratrol appears also to inhibit cellular processes that are associated with tumor initiation, promotion, and progression. Most of the known vitamins and trace minerals are present in grapes. Resveratrol (which is related to another compound found in health food stores, quercetin) is found in wine at twice the level of grape juce.
- Herbs Against Cancer: History and Controversy by Ralph W. Moss PhD
- Available on Amazon.com
Other studies, in animals and in vitro, have shown that resveratrol can inhibit the oxidation of LDL-cholesterol and, more recently, that it can reduce smooth muscle cell proliferation, believed to be one of the requisites of atherogenesis, by 70-90%, in a dose-dependent pattern. Red wine extract and resveratrol have shown equally significant cardioprotective effects in animal models of myocardial ischemic reperfusion injury. Additional evidence suggests that resveratrol also has estrogenic effects that may also provide cardiovascular protection.
- PDR for Nutritional Supplements by Sheldon Saul Hendler and David Rorvik
- Available on Amazon.com
Other researchers are impressed with the range of activity that resveratrol appears to have against cancer, and some believe that there may be even more powerful agents to be found in fruits and vegetables. Thomas W. Kensler of the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health said that the resveratrol discovery "provides the scientific underpinnings" for studies that have found health benefits from grapes and wine. Grapeseed extract is a commercial grape formulation that does not contain resveratrol.
- The Natural Pharmacist: Your Complete Guide to Reducing Cancer Risk by Richard Harkness
- Available on Amazon.com
The large amount of resveratrol present in red wine is explained not only by the prolonged fermentation period of the grape (the grape juice that still contains the fruit's skins and seeds), during which the molecules are extracted from the skins and seeds, but also by the fact that the absence of oxygen in the bottle prevents the resveratrol from oxidizing. This is why raisins, also very rich in polyphenols, do not contain any resveratrol, which in their case is degraded by exposure to air and sunlight.
- Foods that Fight Cancer by Richard Beliveau, Ph.D. and Denis Gingras, Ph.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
Although the anti-cancer potential of red wine remains to be more clearly established, there is no doubt that this anti-cancer activity is in large part due to the presence of resveratrol. In fact, of all naturally occurring molecules possessing anti-cancer activity that have recently been studied, resveratrol commands a great deal of enthusiasm.
- Foods that Fight Cancer by Richard Beliveau, Ph.D. and Denis Gingras, Ph.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
Even more interesting from a nutritional point of view are recent results indicating that certain molecules of dietary origin, including quercetin and especially resveratrol, are very powerful sirtuin activators; it is this activation that may increase cell longevity. For example, the addition of resveratrol to a growth culture of single-celled organisms such as yeast increases cell lifespan by 80%. Generally, yeasts live for nineteen generations; adding resveratrol boosted life expectancy to a maximum of thirty-eight generations!
- Foods that Fight Cancer by Richard Beliveau, Ph.D. and Denis Gingras, Ph.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
To further make the point of the main theoretical principle of the Tree of Life 21-Day + Program, Life Extension 2004 reports that aphytonutrient, resveratrol, has been found by Harvard Medical School researchers to activate alongevity gene in yeast that extends life by 70 percent.
- There Is a Cure for Diabetes: The Tree of Life 21-Day+ Program by Gabriel Cousens
- Available on Amazon.com
Grapes, as well as many berries and some nuts, contain a phytoalexin component called resveratrol that has shown cancer chemopreventive activity. Resveratrol has been found to act as an antioxidant, antimutagen, and anti-inflammatory. It has also been shown to inhibit the development of breast cancer and induce antiprogression activity in human myelocytic leukemia. The highest levels of resveratrol (up to one hundred times more than grapes) are found in grape leaves.
- Herbal Medicine, Healing and Cancer: A Comprehensive Program for Prevention and Treatment by Donald R. Yance, j r.,C.N., M.H., A.H.G., with Arlene Valentine
- Available on Amazon.com
It is now believed that the blood thinning resveratrol, as well as the so called flavonoids in red wine, are partial antidotes and help maintain a healthy heart. Resveratrol is a natural fungicide produced by grapes and is primarily found in their skins. Because resveratrol is produced in much higher quantities in grapes that are organically grown, organic red grapes may be a good option if you don't want to drink wine. Wine grapes are crushed with the seeds and cluster stems as part of the wine.
- Eat To Beat Cancer: A Research Scientist Explains How You and Your Family Can Avoid Up to 90% of All Cancers by J. Robert Hatherill
- Available on Amazon.com
In 1997, a team led by pharmacy professor John Pezzuto announced that a substance in red wine, which was later named resveratrol, inhibited the onset and progression of cancer in mice. UIC reported that resveratrol is one of a group of compounds called phytoalexins that are produced in plants during times of environmental stress, such as adverse weather or insect, animal, or pathogenic attack. Resveratrol has been identified in more than 70 species of plants, including mulberries and peanuts, but the skins of red grapes are a particularly rich source (Jang et al. 1999).
- Disease Prevention and Treatment by The Life Extension Editorial Staff
- Available on Amazon.com
Preliminary studies have found that people who drink red wine, which contains resveratrol, are at lower risk of death from heart disease. Because of its antioxidant activity and its effect on platelets, some researchers believe that resveratrol is the protective agent in red wine. Resveratrol research remains very preliminary, however, and as yet there is no evidence that the amounts found in supplements help prevent atherosclerosis in humans.
- The Natural Pharmacy: Complete A-Z Reference to Natural Treatments for Common Health Conditions by Alan R. Gaby, M.D., Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., Forrest Batz, Pharm.D., Rick Chester, RPh., N.D., DipLAc. George Constantine, R.Ph., Ph.D., Linnea D. Thompson, Pharm.D., N.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
Resveratrol is a phytochemical found in grapes that has proven to be effective against cancer in cell and animal studies. It inhibits cancer initiation, promotion, and progression: the three major stages of cancer development. Saponins are phytochemicals found in legumes, most notably soybeans. They have the ability to combine oil and water, which helps them bind to cholesterol and increase its excretion from the body. They also appear to have anticancer properties, as they interfere with the process by which DNA reproduces.
- Foods That Fight Disease: A Simple Guide to Using and Understanding Phytonutrients to Protect and Enhance Your Health by Laurie Deutsch Mozian, M.S., R.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
Creasy's analysis of 30 types of wine found the most resveratrol in a red French Bordeaux and the least in a white Bordeaux.Dr. Creasy also found the anticoagulant in purple (but not white) grape juice. It takes about three times as much grape juice as red Bordeaux wine to get equal amounts of the compound, he figures. Table grapes, found in supermarkets, probably contain little of the substance because they are carefully cultivated to prevent fungal infections and blemishes. A pound of home-grown grapes, however, can have as much resveratrol as two cups of red wine, says Dr. Creasy.
- Food Your Miracle Medicine by Jean Carper
- Available on Amazon.com
The Japanese have concentrated this grape compound, called resveratrol, into a drug and, in tests, have found it hinders blood platelet clumping that leads to blood clots and reduces fatty deposits in animal livers. If you drink red grape juice or red wine you may get some resveratrol, which is concentrated in grape skins, says Leroy Creasy, Ph.D., a professor at Cornell University's College of Agriculture. Dr. Creasy detected high concentrations of the anticlotting substance in red wine, but not in white wine.
- Food Your Miracle Medicine by Jean Carper
- Available on Amazon.com
There are a few leaders in the antioxidant army selenium, vitamin E, and resveratrol. In a recent study from Sweden, low selenium levels appeared to increase a persons risk for getting a certain kind of RA. Some experts think raising your selenium intake might even help to reduce your swelling and pain. Low vitamin E levels, on the other hand, raised the risk for all types of RA.Boost your selenium levels with seafood, mushrooms, dairy, and whole wheat. Rich sources of vitamin E include fortified cereals, vegetable oils, peanuts, and fish. Resveratrol mainly comes from grapes.
- Eat and Heal (Foods That Can Prevent or Cure Many Common Ailments) by the Editors of FC&A Medical Publishing
- Available on Amazon.com
Resveratrol, the plant estrogen that works like an antioxidant to combat heart disease, the Peanut Institute says to look no further than a handful of peanuts. One ounce, they say, contains about as much resveratrol as 2 pounds of grapes. Helps shed unwanted pounds. But what about your waistline? Peanuts are still high in fat, even if it is heart-healthy fat. Experts say, however, you don't have to give up these crunchy tidbits. They are full of protein and fiber and give a lot of energy bang for the buck.
- Eat and Heal (Foods That Can Prevent or Cure Many Common Ailments) by the Editors of FC&A Medical Publishing
- Available on Amazon.com
Since resveratrol was only recently identified, no definitive human studies have been done. However, the cancer-preventive effects it shows in the lab and in animals is sure to lead to more research. Resveratrol was recently discovered by John Pezzuto and his team from the University of Illinois. A study published in the January 10, 1997, issue of Science detailed their attempts to track down anticancer substances in readily available foods. After hundreds of tests, the grape came out with the highest marks, inhibiting three different stages of cancer development.
- The Natural Pharmacist: Your Complete Guide to Reducing Cancer Risk by Richard Harkness
- Available on Amazon.com
The compound of most interest is resveratrol, a hydroxystilbene first isolated from the roots of the white hellebore (Veratrum album var. grandiflorum). Hydroxystilbenes are found in a variety of plants, many unrelated. They are a prominent component of many species of the Polygonaceae family (Rheum, Polygonum spp.) but the richest source is found in grape skins and red wine. Resveratol is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet and antiallergy agent with demonstrated cancer-preventative activity (Cheong et al).
- The Constituents of Medicinal Plants: An Introduction to the Chemistry and Therapeutics of Herbal Medicine by Andrew Pengelly
- Available on Amazon.com
Nearly 100 scientific studies have attributed other cancer-fighting effects to resveratrol. Scientists at the Chungang University in Seoul, Korea, found that it deactivates some forms of the liver enzyme. This enzyme is necessary to transform many chemicals into a carcinogenic form. Their research was confirmed by the U.S. National Cancer Institute and the Samuel Lunenfield Research Institute in Toronto, which further learned that resveratrol stops the liver from processing chemicals such as deadly dioxin into a carcinogenic form.
- Prescription for Herbal Healing: An Easy-to-Use A-Z Reference to Hundreds of Common Disorders and Their Herbal Remedies by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
- Available on Amazon.com
Grape skins contain resveratrol, a type of plant estrogen, also called a phytoestrogen. In your body resveratrol fights inflammation and prevents blood clots. Grape skins also contain the powerful flavonoid quercetin. It works as an antioxidant to prevent the low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol from building up in your artery walls and blocking blood flow to your heart and brain. It also stops your blood from turning sticky and clumping together. Blood moves through your arteries more easily, taking some of the pressure off your heart and reducing your risk of stroke.
- Eat and Heal (Foods That Can Prevent or Cure Many Common Ailments) by the Editors of FC&A Medical Publishing
- Available on Amazon.com
Resveratrol is a compound found in red wine that has potent antioxidant activity. Preliminary research has demonstrated cardiovascular benefit and possible anticancer properties.
- Prescription for Natural Cures: A Self-Care Guide for Treating Health Problems with Natural Remedies Including Diet and Nutrition, Nutritional Supplements, Bodywork, and More by James F. Balch, M.D. and Mark Stengler, N.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
Red wine also has a number of phenolics, the most important being resveratrol and quercetin, which alter gene expression and enhance phenotypic expression to protect against blood clot formation as in heart disease. Resveratrol also has certain anti-aging qualities that are recently being touted to mimic the calorie restriction effect. However, red wine also has the downside of being alcohol. Alcohol does many things to disregulate and undermine healthy gene expression, particularly in the neurotransmitter systems, as well as other systems in the body.
- Spiritual Nutrition: Six Foundations for Spiritual Life and the Awakening of Kundalini by Gabriel Cousens, M.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
Trials to determine the effects of resveratrol on the three stages of cancer were completed without toxicity to blood-forming cells. The following studies illustrate the many pathways resveratrol employs to inhibit cancer: Italian researchers recently determined that resveratrol exhibited a protective role against colon carcinogenesis, with the defense attributed to changes occuring in Bax protein, which encourages apoptosis, and expression (Tessitore et al. 2000).
- Disease Prevention and Treatment by The Life Extension Editorial Staff
- Available on Amazon.com
The skin of red grapes contains a compound called resveratrol, which has recently come into vogue. Several studies have shown that this polyphenic compound increases levels of an enzyme oxygenase that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and may protect against neuronal cell dysfunction. Red wines are fermented with grape skins, allowing the wine to absorb greater amounts of resveratrol than white wines, which are fermented without grape skins. Thus, some nutritionists are recommending a little red for the head.
- The Myth of Alzheimer's: What You Aren't Being Told About Today's Most Dreaded Diagnosis by Peter J. Whitehouse and Daniel George
- Available on Amazon.com
Of late, considerable attention has been devoted by scientists to the antioxidant properties of red wine's phenolic constituent, resveratrol, as an important contributor. White wine contains much less of this antioxidant, and therefore it has fewer health benefits. resveratrol, unfortunately is not in green tea. However, green tea may offer even greater potential for health protection, since it not only includes the flavonoids active in red wine but also includes even more powerfully protective flavonoids that are unique to it.
- The Green Tea Book by Lester A. Mitscher and Victoria Toews
- Available on Amazon.com
Resveratrol, a known antioxidant, but one that has also been found to be much less potent than antioxidants containing proanthocyanidins or monomeric catechins. In 1992, M. E. Cuvelier and H. Richard in Biosci. and Biotech Biochem 1992 reviewed several papers that described the chemical mechanism of the antioxidant effect of proanthocyanidins and their building blocks, the catechins.
- The Super Anti-Oxidants: Why They Will Change the Face of Healthcare in the 21st Century by James F. Balch, M.D.
- Available on Amazon.com
One of the ways to activate sirtuin is through resveratrol, found in red wine. You get the health benefits of wine-lower LDL, more antioxidants the skin of the grape touches the seeds for at least three weeks. But in many of today's wines, that time is less than a week. Another factor: The smaller the grape and the more seeds it has, and the cooler the climate it grows in, the better. Knotweed (aJapanese plant) has forty times more resveratrol per pound than grapes do, and it grows everywhere (and makes a great apple pie).
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Peanuts also contain surprise components such as the flavonoid resveratrol and myoinositol. The myoinositol helps combat nerve damage and is anti-diabetic. Resveratrol is perhaps the most powerful naturally occurring anti-cancer substance known. The value of these unique naturally occurring substances in peanuts is notable. Researchers at the University of Alabama found that diabetics with nerve damage improved significantly simply by incorporating peanuts and other myoinositol-rich foods into the diet.
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Scientists have proven that resveratrol works by reducing NF kappaB, thereby stopping the breast-cancer activity. There is plenty of science to show that resveratrol is a potent anti-breast cancer and highly protective nutrient. The bioflavonoid quercetin, found in fresh vine ripened fruit and available as a nutritional supplement, induces death in breast cancer cells. Quercetin demonstrated the ability to prevent environmental chemicals from promoting estrogen driven breast cancer.
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Grape skins and red wine contain resveratrol, a phenolic compound, and phytoalexin, a compound produced by plants in response to environmental stressors. Resveratrol apparently inhibits platelet aggregation and eicosanoid syntheses and blocks cellular events linked to tumor initiation, promotion and progression. These effects seem to be independent of its antioxidant properties. Tea is a rich source of polyphenols that are highly substituted with hydroxyl groups.
- Textbook of Natural Medicine 2nd Edition Volume 1 by Michael T. Murray, ND
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Suppressing the growth cycle allows for a critical phase in cellular development refened to as differentiation, that is, an atypical cell becomes more typical. Resveratrol appears a promising anticancer agent for both hormone-dependent and hormone-independent breast cancers. At high concentrations, resveratrol caused suppression of cell growth in three breast cancer cell lines: ER-positive KPL-1 and MCF-7 and ER-negative MKL-F. Growth inhibition was credited in part to upregulation of Bax protein and activation of caspase-3 (a key mediator of apoptosis in mammalian cells).
- Disease Prevention and Treatment by The Life Extension Editorial Staff
- Available on Amazon.com
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