Resveratrol inhibits Type A flu

In this study Resveratrol strongly inhibited the replication of the flu virus by blocking the creation of new viral cells. In a second part of the research Resveratrol significantly improved survival and decreased pulmonary viral titers (fewer number of virus cells in the lungs) in flu (type A flu) infected mice. The study is published in the May 15th, 2005 issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Commentary by Jerry Hickey, R.Ph.

Do not just depend on medication to lower your cholesterol, focus on diet and nutrition and include plant sterol containing foods or plant sterol containing supplements as part of your daily healthy lifestyle.

Resveratrol may protect the heart during and after a heart attack

Resveratrol has a number of great effects on the cardiovascular system and it has ability to improve blood flow by improving the ability of blood vessels to dilate (open up and allow blood to move throughout the body) decreasing resistance to blood flow, and it also protects blood vessel walls through antioxidant-anti-inflammatory mechanisms. In this study, human cells that line blood vessel walls when supplemented with Resveratrol increased their production of VEGF. VEGF or vascular endothelial growth factor, allows the formation of new blood vessels during the healing process and in reaction to blockage of blood flow. In the second part of this study rats were given Resveratrol supplementation for 14 days and then were given a heart attack by blocking a major artery that feeds the heart muscle. Those rats supplemented with Resveratrol had a much smaller infarct size (smaller with less damaging blockage) and their left ventricle worked much better 4 days after the heart attack compared to rats not given Resveratrol. The Resveratrol also triggered the release of factors such as VEGF that allow the strengthening of existing blood vessels and the creation of new blood vessel pathways to feed the heart with oxygenated blood. The research was performed at the Molecular cardiology Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Connecticut Health Center and is published in the September 28th, 2005 issue of the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Biology.