Wine Polyphenols Decrease Blood Pressure, Improve NO Vasodilatation, and Induce Gene Expression

Abstract

Abstract-The effects of short-term oral administration of red wine polyphenolic compounds on hemodynamic parameters and on vascular reactivity were investigated in rats. Endothelial function and vascular smooth muscle contractility were studied in association with the induction of gene expression in the vascular wall. Rats were treated daily for 7 days by intragastric administration of either 5% glucose or red wine polyphenolic compounds (20 mg/kg). Administration of these compounds produced a progressive decrease in systolic blood pressure, which became significantly different on day 4. Aortas from rats treated with red wine polyphenolic compounds displayed increased endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine that was related to increased endothelial NO activity and involved a mechanism sensitive to superoxide anion scavengers. However, no increase in whole-body oxidative stress has been observed in rats treated with red wine polyphenolic compounds, as shown by plasma glutathione assay. Also, in the aorta, red wine polyphenolic compounds increased the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and increased the release of endothelial thromboxane A 2 , which compensated for the extraendothelial NO-induced hyporeactivity in response to norepinephrine, resulting from enhanced inducible NO synthase expression. The present study provides evidence that short-term oral administration of red wine polyphenolic compounds produces a decrease in blood pressure in normotensive rats. This hemodynamic effect was associated with an enhanced endothelium-dependent relaxation and an induction of gene expression (of inducible NO synthase and cyclooxygenase-2) within the arterial wall, which together maintain unchanged agonist-induced contractility. These effects of red wine polyphenolic compounds may be a potential mechanism for preventing cardiovascular diseases.

Wine polyphenols induce hypotension, and decrease cardiac reactivity and infarct size in rats: involvement of nitric oxide

“…Altogether, these data show that the decreased blood pressure, the reduced post-ischaemic infarct size and the cardiac effects induced by chronic treatment of RWPC could be attributable to an increased production of NO. The present study confirms that short-term administration of RWPC is adequate to produce a sufficient circulating concentration of compounds to induce a decrease in blood pressure and cardiovascular effects as in our previous report (Diebolt et al, 2001). However, the molecular identity of polyphenols responsible for the in vivo effect was still unknown, but they may include oligomeric condensed tannins and anthocyanins (Andriambeloson et al, 1998).…”

“…In addition, red wine supplementation of drinking water has been shown to modulate haemostasis and to prevent experimental thrombosis in animals, independently of its alcohol content (Wollny et al, 1999). In a previous work, we have provided evidence for in vivo cardiovascular effects of red wine polyphenolic compounds (RWPC) (Diebolt et al, 2001). Oral administration of RWPC was able to produce a decrease in blood pressure in normotensive rats.…”

“…Four groups of male Wistar rats (12-14 week old) were used and treated daily for 7 days by intra-gastric gavage: the first group (control) received the vehicle containing 5% glucose, the second group received RWPC (20 mg kg À1 day À1 ), the third group received L-NAME (2 mg kg À1 day À1 ), a dose at which it had no effect on blood pressure per se, and the fourth group was given a combination of RWPC plus L-NAME. This dose of RWPC has been previously shown to induce cardiovascular effects (Diebolt et al, 2001) and it corresponds to 10 times the concentration that produced maximal relaxation of rat aortic rings in vitro (Andriambeloson et al, 1997;1999). As only 5-10% of polyphenols can be absorbed in the digestive tract (Duthie et al, 1998), it may be assumed that the concentration of polyphenols present in the plasma is comparable to the concentration at which RWPC produced endothelium-dependent relaxation in rat aorta.…”

“…Previously, we have reported that the haemodynamic effects of RWPC were associated with an induction of the expression protein of inducible NOS and cyclooxygenase-2 within the arterial wall which, on balance, allows maintenance of vascular reactivity in response to vasoconstrictor agonists (Diebolt et al, 2001). Thus, it might be that, while blockade of NOS by L-NAME blunted the vascular hyporeactivity component of the effect of RWPC that is due to NO, the treatment allowed the continued release of vasoconstrictor products, such as thromboxane A 2, which might explain the transient hypertension observed here.…”

The effect of chronic consumption of red wine polyphenols on vascular function in postmenopausal women

“…Studies in animals and humans have suggested that RW and RW polyphenols may improve lipid profiles, reduce platelet aggregation, reduce endothelial dysfunction and improve blood pressure; however, their effect on arterial stiffness remains to be further investigated (Goldberg et al, 1996;Diebolt et al, 2001;Wang et al, 2002;Ralay Ranaivo et al, 2004). To date, one study has investigated the effects of RW polyphenols (7alcohol) on arterial stiffness (Mahmud and Feely, 2002).…”