We often hear medical experts recommending a glass of red wine over dinner, but how seriously do we take these recommendations? Taking a look at some recent studies, it seems that red wine could be even healthier than we previously thought.
In this article, we will be explaining how a compound found in red wine could help against viruses.
Research on Resveratrol and Poxviruses
The reason for these claims is resveratrol – a natural phenol commonly found in wine. To make things even better, this compound is also present in dark chocolate. According to a new study published in the Frontiers in Microbiology journal, resveratrol can inhibit the vaccinia virus – a close relative of the smallpox. This was particularly evident at high concentrations, where resveratrol affected the virus in the early stages.
But, here’s the catch – the scientists at the Kansas State University used higher concentrations of this compound that you can hardly get from your diet. So, while we can’t say that red wine could help against viruses, we should still be excited about the doors that this research will open for further studies.
Resveratrol Health Properties
In addition to these antiviral qualities, resveratrol can help our health in many other ways. The interest in this compound started at the beginning of the 1990s, when scientists discovered that French people had surprisingly few instances of heart disease, especially considering their relatively unhealthy diets.
Since it was implied that resveratrol could be the reason for this phenomenon, many studies on this compound have been found. Some of these studies found that it could have anticancer and antioxidant qualities as well.
Conclusion
Although we can’t safely say that red wine could help against viruses, it seems that resveratrol is a promising compound for new potential treatments against types of poxviruses.
