Why was this study done?

The grape polyphenol resveratrol is demonstrated to influence the activity of multiple cellular signaling pathways including those involved in cellular aging. Grapes and red wine, however, contain complex mixtures of polyphenols of which resveratrol represents a very minor component. It is possible that complex mixtures of polyphenols have different cellular actions than those of any single polyphenol comprising the mixture. To test this notion, the effects of resveratrol were compared to those of a mixture of resveratrol plus muscadine grape polyphenols in multiple models of cellular aging.

What did the study find?

When compared to resveratrol alone, complex mixtures of polyphenols containing resveratrol produce greater potency to influence various mechanisms of cellular aging. Thus, the physiological effects of grape and red wine consumption may differ from those after consuming resveratrol alone.

Synergistic Effects of Phenolic Mixtures in Human Cell Models of Aging.
Authors: L. Fisher, T. Ianiro, F. Lau, H. Wang, B. Daggy.

FASEB Journal, April 2015. vol. 29 no. 1 Supplement 608.36.
Click here to read study presentation.