Red wine consumption prevents vascular oxidative stress induced by a high-fat meal in healthy volunteers.

In order to investigate the effect of red wine on plasma lipid and oxidative stress parameters after a high-fat meal, fifteen healthy volunteers were studied: three days after a high-fat meal with 250 mL of water, they received the same meal with 250 mL of red wine. During both periods, serial blood samples were drawn before and 2, 4, and 8 hours after the meal to evaluate plasma lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides; retinyl palmitate), oxidative stress (D-ROM, and malondialdehyde) and antioxidant (total plasma antioxidant levels and uric acid) parameters. During the meal without wine, plasma lipid parameters increased significantly, whereas plasma total plasma antioxidant levels decreased, and a trend toward reduction of uric acid levels was seen). A similar trend in lipid parameters was observed after the meal with wine; no significant difference in individual lipid parameter trends after a meal with and without wine was observed. Wine ingestion induced higher total plasma antioxidant levels and uric acid; malondialdehyde levels remained constant after wine ingestion. Plasma D-ROM showed a significant postprandial increase in both experiments, but it was significantly lowered after wine ingestion. Our results give evidence of oxidative stress following a fat-rich meal in healthy subjects, suggesting that ingestion of red wine during a high-fat meal significantly reduces oxidative stress without inducing any significant modification in postprandial lipemia.

Retinol and tocopherol content in primary and metastatic digestive neoplasms.

BACKGROUND: Recent trials in digestive-tract cancer have produced conflicting results regarding the protective role of liposoluble vitamins. Accordingly, we have undertaken an extensive appraisal of the behaviour of retinol and tocopherol in both human upper and lower digestive neoplasms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subjects comprised six healthy controls, 10 patients with symptomatic cholelithiasis, 13 with gastric neoplasms, 12 with colo-rectal neoplasms and 13 with digestive neoplasms and liver metastases. Retinol and tocopherol in the plasma, liver, as well as from secondary malignant nodules of the liver, were determined following a high performance liquid chromatographic technique. RESULTS: The plasma concentration of retinol was significantly reduced only in some neoplastic groups with respect to the non-neoplastic groups. Plasma tocopherol levels remained almost unchanged and, surprisingly, they were higher even in the neoplastic patients and in relation to total serum lipids. There was a sharp decrease in the liver tissue levels of total, mainly esterified, retinol in both cholelithiasis and neoplastic groups; tocopherol, on the other hand, remained more or less unchanged, except in the liver metastatic nodules, where it increased. CONCLUSION: Levels of plasma vitamin and tissue retinol and tocopherol appear to be unpredictable on the basis of the corresponding circulating levels, and this must be taken into account when prescribing dietary and therapeutic regimes.