CONTENTS OF RESVERATROL, PICEID, AND THEIR ISOMERS IN COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE WINES MADE FROM GRAPES CULTIVATED IN JAPAN

The presence of resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene) and its beta-g lucoside, piceid (resveratrol-3-beta-D-glucopyranoside), together with their isomers in wine appears to be one of the beneficial factors con ferring a protective effect against cardiovascular disease through red wine ingestion. A total of 42 red and white wines,vas collected in ar ears from Hokkaido to Kyushu in Japan. The wines were fractionated wit h a C-18,, Sep-pak cartridge, and the active principles were eluted wi th ethyl acetate. Crude ti ans-and cis-piceid were extracted from a Ch inese medicine, 'Kojohkon' (Polygonum cuspidatum), and their retention times and UV absorption were confirmed by HPLC. trans-and cis-Resvera trol, and trans-and cis-piceid were analyzed in a short C-18 HPLC colu mn, and cis-resveratrol was quantified from the amount of cis-isomer c onverted from authentic trans-resveratrol that had been treated by UV irradiation. The content of piceid is shown as the resveratrol equival ent. The average content of total stilbene compounds was 4.37mg/liter in red mines, while only 0.68 mg/liter in white wines. Red wines made from Pinot noir, Merlot, and Zweigeltrebe grapes all had a high resver atrol content.