Black grape enhances plasma antioxidant potential

We investigated the possible contribution of black grape ingestion on plasma antioxidant status and wished to elucidate whether black grape might play a protective role against free radical-mediated pathologic processes or not. After fasting blood was obtained, each volunteer consumed a certain amount of grape and, consecutive blood samples were taken at the 2nd and 4th hours after first blood. Antioxidant potential (AOP) value was measured in the plasma, in which significantly increased values were observed at the 4th compared with the basal value. bur results suggest that black grape strengthens plasma AOP as does red wine. This result also support the hypothesis that the protective effect of red wine against cellular peroxidation reactions and atherogenesis mainly arises from its flavonoid constituents rather than alcoholic content. It means that people may gain enhanced antioxidant defence against atherosclerosis by consuming black grape as well instead of drinking red wine if they really drinks for this aim. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.