Obesity, one of the key risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and cancer, is rampant throughout the world, owing to unhealthy dietary practices and an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 5-10% reduction of weight in obese individuals may help in delaying or inhibiting the obesity-related ailments. Now, scientists have found that Resveratrol, an antioxidant naturally found in red wine and grapes, holds the potential to reduce the number of adipocytes in the body, and thereby potentially prevent, or even treat, obesity. The details of the study were presented at the 90th Annual Meeting of The Endocrine Society, held at San Francisco from June 15th to 18th, 2008.

Previous studies conducted on laboratory mice showed that resveratrol reduced obesity-related health illnesses by emulating the effects of calorie restriction. In order to elucidate a similar effect from resveratrol on human fat cells, Pamela Fischer-Posovszky, a pediatric endocrinology research fellow at University of Ulm, Germany, and coworkers, conducted the current cell-based study on preadipocytes, the human fat cell precursors. It was found that resveratrol prevents the maturation of preadipocytes to adipocytes and also hinders fat storage. Additionally, resveratrol decreases the production of cytokines (interleukin 6 and 8), which play a vital role in the development of obesity-related pathologies, such as clogged arteries and diabetes. The researchers also documented that resveratrol stimulates adiponectin formation, which in turn reduces the risk of heart attack. The positive findings of the study show promise; however, insufficient knowledge about the required quantity and long-term effects of resveratrol necessitate further research.

Earlier studies have documented that obesity and diabetes type 2 are characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation, which involves the accumulation of adipose tissue macrophages and production of abnormal cytokines. Also, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 that is derived from adipose tissue and stimulated by cytokines, plays a key part in the process of macrophage infiltration into the adipose tissue. A recent study by Zhu, et al., (Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 2008) analyzed resveratrol effects on tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-induced MCP-1 gene expression and the signaling pathways in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. It was shown that resveratrol reduces the TNF-alpha-induced MCP-1 secretion and gene transcription, along with the suppression of nuclear factor- kappa B (plays an important role in MCP-1 expression) transcriptional activity in TNF-alpha-stimulated cells. This facilitates the reduction of macrophage infiltration into the fat tissue, indicating the anti-inflammatory effect of resveratrol. Considering the findings, the scientists speculate that resveratrol has the potential to prevent disorders associated with obesity.

Resveratrol (3,5,4′-trihydroxystilbene), a polyphenolic phytoalexin, is produced naturally by plants (eucalyptus, spruce, and lily) when invaded by pathogens like fungi and bacteria. It is largely found in the skin of red grapes and is extensively studied for its anti-cancer, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. The total resveratrol content in red wine (global) is between 1.98 to 7.13mg/liter. Most of the supplements of resveratrol available in the United States contain extracts of Polygonum cuspidatum (also called as kojo-kon), but some are derived from red wine or red grapes extract. Although the resveratrol supplements are available between 10-50 mg, the effective dose for the prevention of chronic diseases is not known.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated around 2.3 million overweight and 700 million obese adults by the year 2015. Previous studies have proposed that intake of red wine inhibits the development of cancer, and decreases the incidence of coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis by altering the platelet aggregation. The recent study, which suggests the positive effects of resveratrol adds to the health benefits of red wine consumption in reducing or preventing obesity and its associated complications.

Reference

1. P2-96: Red wine’s resveratrol may help battle obesity. News Release. The Endocrine Society. Last accessed June 18, 2008.

2. Zhu J, Yong W, Wu X, et al. Anti-inflammatory effect of resveratrol on TNF-alpha-induced MCP-1 expression in adipocytes. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2008 May 2;369(2):471-7.