The increase in human plasma antioxidant capacity after red wine consumption is due to both plasma urate and wine polyphenols.

By using red wine, dealcoholized red wine, polyphenols-stripped red wine, ethanol-water solution and water, the role of wine polyphenols and induction of plasma urate elevation on plasma antioxidant capacity was examined in humans (n=9 per beverage). Healthy males randomly consumed each beverage in a cross-over design. Plasma antioxidant capacity (measured by ferric reducing antioxidant power, FRAP), ethanol, catechin and urate concentrations were determined before and 30, 60, 90, 120 and 180 min after beverage intake. Dealcoholized red wine and polyphenols-stripped red wine induced similar increase in FRAP values which represented nearly half the effect of the original red wine. This indicates that consumption of red wine involves two separate mechanisms in elevation of plasma FRAP values and both wine phenols and plasma urate contribute to that effect.

Red wine induced modulation of vascular function: separating the role of polyphenols, ethanol, and urates.

By using red wine (RW), dealcoholized red wine (DARW), polyphenols-stripped red wine (PSRW), ethanol-water solution (ET), and water (W), the role of wine polyphenols, ethanol, and urate on vascular function was examined in humans (n = 9 per beverage) and on isolated rat aortic rings (n = 9). Healthy males randomly consumed each beverage in a cross-over design. Plasma ethanol, catechin, and urate concentrations were measured before and 30, 60 and 120 minutes after beverage intake. Endothelial function was assessed before and 60 minutes after beverage consumption by normalized flow-mediated dilation (FMD). RW and DARW induced similar vasodilatation in the isolated vessels whereas PSRW, ET, and W did not. All ethanol-containing beverages induced similar basal vasodilatation of brachial artery. Only intake of RW resulted in enhancement of endothelial response, despite similar plasma catechin concentration after DARW. The borderline effect of RW on FMD (P = 0.0531) became significant after FMD normalization (P = 0.0043) that neutralized blunting effect of ethanol-induced basal vasodilatation. Effects of PSRW and ET did not differ although plasma urate increased after PSRW and not after ET, indicating lack of urate influence on endothelial response. Acute vascular effects of RW, mediated by polyphenols, cannot be predicted by plasma catechin concentration only.

Comparison of protective effects of catechin applied in vitro and in vivo on ischemia-reperfusion injury in the isolated rat hearts.

AIM: To determine overall cardiac effects of flavonoid catechin on ischemia-reperfusion injury in isolated rat hearts in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: After perfusing hearts at the pressure of 70 mm Hg, coronary perfusion was interrupted for 30 minutes and then re-established. There were four experimental groups, with 10 rats each. The first group received 100 micromol/L of catechin added to the perfusate 10 minutes before, during, and 10 minutes after ischemia; the second group underwent in vivo pretreatment with catechin (250 mg/kg body weight) applied intragastrically for 10 days; the third group received it as a single dose 1 h before sacrifice; and the fourth group received saline. An additional group of 10 hearts served as untreated, nonischemic time control. The variables included heart rate, atrioventricular conduction time, cardiac rhythm, isovolumetric left ventricular pressure, coronary flow and responsiveness, oxygen consumption, relative cardiac efficiency, lactate dehydrogenase release, and myocardial lipid peroxidation. RESULTS: Catechin added to the perfusate increased the coronary flow and ratio of oxygen delivery to myocardial oxygen consumption before ischemia and during reperfusion. Following 30 minutes of reperfusion, isovolumetric left ventricular developed pressure recovered to 42+/-3%, 63+/-3%, 71+/-2%, and 55+/-3% of the initial control values in the control, catechin 1 h, catechin for 10 days, and catechin in vitro group, respectively. Cardiac efficiency and coronary responsiveness were also best preserved in the group receiving catechin for 10 days. CONCLUSION: Application of catechin in vitro and in vivo, irrespective of duration of application, resulted in cardioprotection against ischemia-reperfusion injury, but long-term pretreatment provided more favorable effects. Directly applied, catechin acted as a vasodilator.

Health care relief to neighbors: Split University Hospital during the 1991-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

AIM: To assess the workload of the Split University Hospital during the war and its role in providing help to the neighboring countries. METHODS: We reviewed all available records of patients admitted to the four (out of 15) departments: General Surgery, Traumatology, Dermatovenerology, and Pulmonology. The files of 37,821 patients (78% of total number) treated during 1990-1995 were analyzed. RESULTS: The workload of the hospital paralleled the political crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH) -- the number of patients from BH increased more than 10-fold between 1990 and 1993, including during the time of armed conflict between BH Croats and Bosniaks (1993-94). Among them, there were 84% of ethnic Croats and 16% of ethnic Bosniaks. The hospital spent US$6.2 million (18% of total costs) on the treatment of BH citizens. Approximately two thirds of BH citizens (62%) were treated at one of the surgical departments, and approximately one third of Bosniak patients were young males, admitted for treatment of war-related injuries. CONCLUSION: The Split University Hospital took a large burden of managing BH citizens, despite the armed conflict of Bosnian Croats and Bosniaks, indicating the high professionalism of the hospital staff and management. Such attitude can contribute to peace and post-war reconciliation in the region.