Effect of a polyphenols-enriched Chardonnay white wine in diabetic rats

A Chardonnay white wine enriched in polyphenols was obtained by modification of winemaking and characterized by its enrichment in total polyphenolic content (1346 mg/L as compared to 316 mg/L for traditional Chardonnay) and in various individual polyphenols (catechin, epicatechin, procyanidins dimers B1-B4, gallic acid, cafeic acid, and caftaric acid), as determined from HPLC coupled to a diode array detector. The polyphenols-enriched white wine (W) or its ethanol-free derivative (EFW) was then administered by gavage (10 mL/kg, twice a day) for 6 weeks to rats that have been rendered diabetic by a single iv injection of streptozotocin (55 mg/kg). Treatments had no effect on the symptoms associated with hyperglycemia. However, while a reduction in plasma antioxidant capacity was associated with the diabetic state, administration of W or EFW restored plasma antioxidant capacities to a level not significantly different from that of nondiabetic control animals. In addition, the effect of both treatments was manifested by the enlargement of mesenteric arteries, as determined by quantitative histomorphometry. In summary, our study indicates that white wine, when enriched in polyphenols, is able to induce ethanol-independent in vivo effects in a model of insulin-deficient diabetes characterized by a major oxidative stress.