The effect of grape-skin extract on oxidative status

Epidemiological studies indicate that moderate alcohol consumption, particu larly wine, reduce the risk of CHD. The present study was designed to inves tigate the effect of grape-skin extract on markers of oxidative status. The study was designed as a randomised crossover. A diet with a low content of flavonoids was served with strict control of intake in two consecutive 1-w eek intervention periods to fifteen subjects (nine women, six men) divided randomly into two groups. During one of the weeks the subjects from either group consumed 200 ml grape-skin extract in water (1 mg extract/ml) at each of three daily meals (31.3 mg total phenolics, including 9.0 mg catechin). An increased activity of glutathione reductase and a borderline increase o f glutathione peroxidase activity in erythrocytes were observed after grape -skin intervention, while the intervention had no significant effect on sup eroxide dismutase or catalase. Likewise, no effect was found on 2-aminoadip ic semialdehyde (AAS) residues, a plasma protein oxidation product, or on m alondialdehyde in plasma or in LDL, which are markers of lipoprotein oxidat ion. A marginal effect of grape-skin intervention was observed on plasma as corbate levels. Intake of the experimental diet significantly reduced plasm a vitamin C and plasma AAS in both groups. This effect was most pronounced in the particular week with no grape-skin extract addition. We speculate th at grape-skin extract may have a sparing effect on vitamin C. The effects o f the experimental diet may be partly ascribed to a low content of several fruit- and vegetable-related antioxidants like flavonoids and vitamin C and a relatively high content of carrot-derived antioxidants, such as carotene s.