title: Wine polyphenols and ethanol do not significantly scavenge superoxide nor affect endothelial nitric oxide production.
abstract: Epidemiological studies have shown that moderate intake of red wine reduces the risk of coronary heart disease. It has been proposed that the antiatherogenic effect be due to the scavenging of reactive oxygen species by polyphenols and ethanol or an effect on endothelial nitric oxide (NO) production. We have determined the reaction rates of superoxide with four different polyphenols and ethanol. The superoxide reaction rates were determined at 37 degrees C and pH 7.4 using competitive spin trapping and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Ethanol did not scavenge superoxide. For the polyphenols catechin, epicatechin, gallic acid, and quercetin, we find rate constants of respectively 2.3*10(4), 2.2*10(4), 2.3*10(3) and 1.9*10(4)(mole per second)(-1). Polyphenols can only exert a significant scavenging effect, if the plasma concentration reach sufficiently high levels. At concentrations found in vivo (low nanomolar range), the scavenging of superoxide by polyphenols and ethanol is negligible in comparison with endogenous protection against superoxide. Incubation of cultured endothelial cells with 5 micromol/L of catechin, epicatechin, gallic acid, quercetin, or ethanol 0.05% (v/v) did not influence the maximal production of NO by these cells as measured by fluorescent nitric oxide cheletropic traps (FNOCT). The observed antiatherogenic effects must be caused by a mechanism other than direct scavenging of superoxide or influence on maximal endothelial NO production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands. A.Huisman@lab.azu.nl
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Huisman
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van De Wiel
authors.forename: Ton J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Rabelink
authors.forename: Ernst E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Van Faassen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002392:Catechin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000737:chemistry*; D005707:Gallic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D059808:Polyphenols; D011794:Quercetin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D013481:Superoxides / Q000737:chemistry*; D014920:Wine / Q000032:analysis*; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D010636:Phenols; D059808:Polyphenols; D013481:Superoxides; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000431:Ethanol; D005707:Gallic Acid; D002392:Catechin; D011794:Quercetin; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase