http://www.pms.ac.uk/pms/news.php

Resveratrol in grape skins could stop diabetic complications such as
heart disease, retinopathy and nephropathy, research finds

Research carried out by scientists at the Peninsula Medical School in
the South West of England has found that resveratrol, a compound
present naturally in grape skin, can protect against the cellular
damage to blood vessels caused by high production of glucose in
diabetes, according to a paper published in the science journal
“Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism” this week.

The elevated levels of glucose that circulate in the blood of patients
with diabetes causes micro- and macrovascular complications by
damaging mitochondria, the tiny power plants within cells responsible
for generating energy. When they are damaged they can leak electrons
and make highly damaging ‘free radicals’.

Complications that can result when this happen include nephropathy
(kidney disease), heart disease and retinopathy (which if left
untreated can lead to blindness).

Resveratrol stops the damage by helping cells make protective enzymes
to prevent the leakage of electrons and the production of toxic ‘free
radicals’.

As well as being naturally present in grape skins, resveratrol is also
present in seeds, peanuts and red wine.

Dr. Matt Whiteman, Principal Investigator and Senior Lecturer at the
Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Science, Peninsula Medical
School, commented: “Resveratrol’s antioxidant effects in the test tube
are well documented but our research shows the link between high
levels of glucose, its damaging effect on cell structure, and the
ability of resveratrol of protect against and mend that damage.”

He added: “Resveratrol or related compounds could be used to block the
damaging effect of glucose which in turn might fight the often life
threatening complications that accompany diabetes. It could well be
the basis of effective diet-based therapies for the prevention of
vascular damage caused by hyperglycaemia in the future.”