Wine &
Health: Red Wine and Lung Disease
Resveratrol, a compound in
red wine that is already known to be beneficial
to your heart, is now thought to also improve
a common lung disease.
Researchers from London's
Imperial College recently reported in the
British Medical Journal that resveratrol
works as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant
and can be useful in treating chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD refers to
the airflow obstruction and resulting breathing
difficulties associated with emphysema and
chronic bronchitis.
The study found that resveratrol
dramatically reduced the amount of harmful
chemicals, called interleukins, which cause
the lung inflammation that leads to shortness
of breath.
Researchers caution that there
is probably not enough resveratrol in a
glass of wine to have significant positive
effects on COPD sufferers, and point out
that the benefits of red wine can be outweighed
by harmful effects when consumed in high
amounts. Continued testing and drug development
seems to be underway.
London Imperial College -- www.ic.ac.uk
British Medical Journal -- www.bmj.com
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