Red wine ingredient resveratrol protects from beta-amyloid neurotoxicity.
BACKGROUND
beta-Amyloid peptide (Abeta), a neutrotoxic substance, has been implicated to a great degree in cell death during the course of AD. Resveratrol, a natural polyphenol mainly found in red wine, has been shown to be cardioprotective and chemoprotective. Since a moderate wine intake correlates with a lower risk for Alzheimer disease (AD), an additional neuroprotective effect has been postulated for resveratrol.


OBJECTIVE
The present study aimed at elucidating the possible neuroprotective effects of resveratrol against Abeta-induced neurotoxicity.


METHODS
The neuroprotective capacity against Abeta-related oxidative stress was studied in a cell culture model suitable for studying such potentially neuroprotective substances.


RESULTS
Resveratrol maintains cell viability and exerts an anti-oxidative action by enhancing the intracellular free-radical scavenger glutathione.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that red wine may be neuroprotective through the actions of resveratrol.
Savaskan
Egemen
E
Psychiatric Clinic, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. esavaskan@datacomm.ch
Olivieri
Gianfranco
G
Meier
Fides
F
Seifritz
Erich
E
Wirz-Justice
Anna
A
Müller-Spahn
Franz
F
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000633:toxicity*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009447:Neuroblastoma; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000077185:Resveratrol; D013267:Stilbenes / Q000494:pharmacology*
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D000975:Antioxidants; D013267:Stilbenes; D005978:Glutathione; D000077185:Resveratrol