The French paradox - do wine phenolics protect health? Part 2: Antioxidative and other effects of wine and wine phenolics

In spite of the same risk factors as increased serum cholesterol, hypertens ion, high Body Mass Index, and smoking in the French population of southern regions, CDH mortality is lower than in other industrialized countries wit h a western diet. This phenomenon is called French Paradox. In the 2nd part of the article (Part 1, Ernahrungs-Umschau 47 (2000), 44) reviewing public ations concerned with the scientific basis of the phenomenon, antioxidative and other attributes of wine components are discussed. Besides wine alcohols, wine phenolics act as antioxidants. Among them catec hins are of special importance due to their concentration and their capabil ity of in vitro scavenging of free oxygen radicals. The significance of fla vonols and anthocyanins is lower. Gallic acid may be the most effective ant ioxidative phenolic acid. Red wine and its phenolics lead in vivo to an inc rease of the antioxidative capacity of blood plasma and to a reduction of t he susceptibility of LDL to oxidative modification. An influence on platele t aggregation and lipoprotein composition has not been verified. White wine shows both antioxidative and prooxidative effects in vitro but not in vivo . Epidemiological studies have neither shown the superiority of wine to oth er alcoholic drinks in the prevention of coronary heart disease nor better health protection by red wine than by white wine.