Different effects of red wine and gin consumption on inflammatory biomarkers of atherosclerosis: a prospective randomized crossover trial. Effects of wine on inflammatory markers.
BACKGROUND
No intervention studies have explored the anti-inflammatory effects of different alcoholic beverages on markers of atherosclerosis. We embarked on a randomized, crossover, single-blinded trial to evaluate the effects of wine and gin on inflammatory biomarkers of atherosclerosis.


RESULTS
Forty healthy men (mean age, 37.6 years) consumed 30 g ethanol per day as either wine or gin for 28 days. Before and after each intervention, we measured the expression of lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1), Mac-1, very late activation antigen 4 (VLA-4), and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP-1) in monocytes, as well as the soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha), C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and fibrinogen. After either gin or wine consumption, plasma fibrinogen decreased by 5 and 9%, respectively, and cytokine IL-1alpha by 23 and 21%. The expression of LFA-1 (-27%), Mac-1 (-27%), VLA-4 (-32%) and MCP-1 (-46%) decreased significantly after wine, but not after gin. Wine reduced the serum concentrations of hs-CRP (-21%), VCAM-1 (-17%) and ICAM-1 (-9%).


CONCLUSIONS
Both wine and gin showed anti-inflammatory effects by reducing plasma fibrinogen and IL-1alpha levels. However, wine had the additional effect of decreasing hs-CRP, as well as monocyte and endothelial adhesion molecules.
Estruch
Ramon
R
Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Clinic, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Sacanella
Emilio
E
Badia
Eva
E
Antúnez
Emilia
E
Nicolás
José Maria
JM
Fernández-Solá
Joaquim
J
Rotilio
Domenico
D
de Gaetano
Giovanni
G
Rubin
Emanuel
E
Urbano-Márquez
Alvaro
A
D000328:Adult; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000097:blood; D018925:Chemokines / Q000097:blood; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D014920:Wine
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D018925:Chemokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein