AS IF red wine鈥檚 antioxidant properties weren鈥檛 enough of an excuse for a 鈥渕edicinal鈥� tipple, there鈥檚 yet more good news. It is possible that some of the drink鈥檚 ingredients behave like antibiotics, helping prevent growth of the Chlamydia pneumoniae bacterium that some blame for clogged arteries and heart disease (New 杏吧原创, 11 January 2003, p 36).
The finding comes from a team led by Gail Mahady of the University of Illinois in Chicago, who tested the effects of ingredients of red wine on the bacteria. They included concentrated extracts from pinot noir wine, and resveratrol, a polyphenolic chemical found in wine, frequently credited with the drink鈥檚 health benefits.
The team found that both compounds drastically stunted growth of the bacterial colony (Atherosclerosis, vol 171, p 379). 鈥淎t very low concentrations, probably equivalent to those in a glass of wine, we find that these components inhibit the bacteria in cell culture,鈥� says Mahady.
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There is some evidence that C. pneumoniae aggravates inflammation and furs up the arteries with fatty plaques. The antibacterial effects might explain the so-called 鈥淔rench paradox鈥� 鈥� that despite their high intake of fatty foods, fewer French people suffer from heart problems.
But she admits that other aspects of French lifestyle probably also play a role, such as regular exercise, low sugar intake and the smaller size of French portions compared to those dished up in the US and elsewhere.