Antihypertensive, vasodilator and antioxidant effects of a vinifera grape skin extract

Abstract

Cumulative evidence suggests that moderate wine consumption exerts a cardioprotective effect. We investigated the occurrence of an antihypertensive effect of an alcohol-free hydroalcoholic grape skin extract (GSE) obtained from skins of a vinifera grape (Vitis labrusca) in experimental rodent hypertension models. The vasodilator effect of GSE (polyphenols concentration 55.5 mg g(-1)) was also assessed in the isolated mesenteric vascular bed of Wistar rats and the antioxidant effect was studied on lipid peroxidation of hepatic microsomes. Oral administration of GSE significantly reduced systolic, mean and diastolic arterial pressure in Wistar rats with desoxycorticosterone acetate-salt and N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) induced experimental hypertension. In the rat isolated mesenteric vascular bed pre-contracted with norepinephrine, bolus injections of GSE induced endothelium-dependent vasodilatation that was substantially inhibited by L-NAME, but not by indometacin, tetraethylammonium or glibenclamide. Lipid peroxidation of hepatic microsomes estimated as malondialdehyde production was concentration-dependently inhibited by GSE. In conclusion, the antihypertensive effect of GSE might be owing to a combination of vasodilator and antioxidant actions of GSE. These findings also suggest that the beneficial effect of moderate red wine consumption could be owing to an antihypertensive action induced by compounds occurring in the skin of vinifera grapes.

Grape extracts suppress the formation of preneoplastic foci and activity of fatty acid synthase in rat liver

“…Grape extracts given orally reduced malondialdehyde content in rat heart, and might be resistant to myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury (Cui et al, 2002). Orally supplied alcohol-free hydroalcoholic grape skin extract from a vinifera grape, significantly reduced systolic and diastolic arterial pressure in chemically induced Wistar rat hypertension, as well as the decrease of lipid peroxidation (de Moura et al, 2002). The previous antihypertensive effect was seemed to be partly owing to antioxidant actions of grape seed extracts.…”

“…Recently, some researchers reported the physiological modification by polyphenolic compounds from grape, which include the cancer prevention (Bomser et al, 1999;Carbo et al, 1999;Zhao et al, 1999), the suppression of inflammation, the induction of vasorelaxation (Flesch et al, 1998), the decrease of blood pressure (de Moura et al, 2002), and so on. Resveratrol, the natural compound rich in red grapes, has the possibility of the phytoestrogenic action with the preventive or therapeutic effect for the hormonerelated diseases, because its similar structure to estrogen (Jang et al, 1997;Gehm et al, 1999;Lu and Serrero, 1999).…”

eNOS Activation Induced by a Polyphenol-Rich Grape Skin Extract in Porcine Coronary Arteries

“…Recently, we have shown that chronic intake of the polyphenols contained in an alcohol-free lyophilized Brazilian red wine or in an alcohol-free grape skin extract (GSE) from Vitis labrusca reduced systolic, mean and diastolic arterial pressure in several experimental models of hypertension [16, 17]. Both types of extracts also caused endothelium-dependent vasodilation in the perfused rat mesenteric vascular bed by increasing the endothelial formation of both NO and EDHF [16,17,18].…”

Angiotensin II Induces the Vascular Expression of VEGF and MMP-2 in vivo: Preventive Effect of Red Wine Polyphenols

“…The protective effect of red wine consumption on coronary heart diseases might be attributable, at least in part, to polyphenols because non-alcoholic wine products and the purified polyphenols, quercetin and catechin, also prevented the progression of atherosclerotic lesions [16, 17]. In addition, oral intake of red wine polyphenols (RWPs) is able to prevent hypertension and endothelial dysfunction in several experimental models of hypertension, including chronic infusion of Ang II [18,19,20]. Recently, we have shown that RWPs strongly inhibit growth factor-induced expression of VEGF and MMP-2 in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells [21, 22].…”