EFFECT OF RED AND WHITE ON SERUM-LIPIDS, PLATELET-AGGREGATION, OXIDATION-PRODUCTS AND ANTIOXIDANTS - A PRELIMINARY-REPORT

Recent studies suggest a protective effect of moderate alcohol consumption upon the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD). Since red wine was proposed to be most beneficial, a three-month crossover design comparing the effects of red versus white wine upon serum lipids, clotting factors, oxidation products and antioxidant levels in twenty adult hypercholesterolemics was undertaken. Combining data from both wines showed a reduced thrombin-initiated platelet aggregation (THROM) from 0.91 +/- 0.06 to 0.75 +/- 0.04 U/ml, p<0.05, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) from 10.5 +/- 0.09 to 7.9 +/- 0.06 mu M, p<0.05. Additionally, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) decreased from 167.0 +/- 9.3 to 158.0 +/- 7.3 mg/dl, p<0.08. The data suggest that wine possesses both antithrombogenic and antioxidant effects. The antioxidant potential of white is greater than red while also demonstrating an LDL lowering tendency.