Botanical:   Vitis vinifera
Family:   Vitaceae (grape)
Other common names:  Grapeseed Extract, OPCs (Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins), Muskat,

PCOs (Procyanidolic Oligomers)

                                                       "...wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used."
                                                                                                             - William Shakespeare

Red Wine Extract is said to be very beneficial in supporting cardiovascular health  by strengthening blood vessels, increasing blood circulation, lowering cholesterol and reducing platelet aggregation (clots) in the blood.  It is also considered one of the most powerful antioxidants  known to exist that helps to combat free radical damage and enhance immunity. This is definitely one of "nature's finest."

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein by Herbal Extracts Plus is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

History:
Grapes appear to have originated in the Mediterannean regions of southern Europe and Middle East, thriving in deep, moist, humus-rich, neutral-to-alkaline soil in sun and warm climates; and the grape's hardiness varies according to the cultivar. Grapes were first cultivated near the Caspian Sea, and their use as food and drink had spread throughout the Mediterranean world before The Bible  was written. They were cultivated in Egypt over four thousand years ago, and even the ancient Greeks knew that wine possessed wonderful health benefits. Wine is the fermented juice of grapes, and it has been used in various cultures for almost five thousand years.  Egyptian records dating from

2500 B.C. refer to wines, and there are frequent references to wine in the Old Testament. 

Wine was also used by early Minoan and Etruscan civilizations, and we can thank the Roman army for introducing the rootstocks and winemaking throughout Europe as they created an expanding Roman Empire.  Centuries later the role of wine for sacramental use in Christian churches helped to maintain the industry after the fall of the Roman Empire.  Modern science has now confirmed the health benefits included in occasional Red Wine consumption, and although you may not be enjoying the taste of this wondrous gift of nature, you will enjoy a convenient way to enjoy its many healthy benefits (without having to relinquish the keys to your car) in this easy supplement.  Red Wine Extracts (not white) possess high concentrations of oligomeric proanthocyanidins, including dimeric, trimeric and tetrameric OPCs, cathechin derivatives and other flavonoids that confer high antioxidant and free radical benefits, as well as phenolic and polyphenolic compounds (including catechin, quercetin, the all-important resveratrol, etc. ) that combat platelet aggregation (clotting) in the blood.  Other constituents include proteins (leucine, arginine, cystine, phenylalanine, valine),

tannins, lipids (palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic acids), sitosterol, phosphatidylserine, lecithin and vitamins C, A and E.

Beneficial Uses:
With regard to good coronary health, Red Wine Extract from Grapeseed has become a popular supplement for preventing heart disease and arteriosclerosis.  Numerous studies now say that the level of antioxidants may be a more significant factor than cholesterol levels in determining the risk of developing heart disease. The powerful antioxidants, including resveratrol, in Red Wine Extract are said to help prevent the oxidation of cholesterol that ultimately leads to the process of arteriosclerosis, and the high flavonoid content in Red Wine Extract appears capable of significantly reducing the risk of heart attack or stroke.  Red Wine Extract is said to help reduce platelet aggregation (clotting) in the blood, thereby also reducing the risk of arteriosclerosis, stroke and heart attacks.  Moreover, it appears to raise the levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDLs or "good" cholesterol) in the blood, while decreasing the low-density lipoproteins (LDLs, or "bad" cholesterol) and thereby help to prevent heart attacks and strokes. The HDL is said to help clear the "bad" cholesterol from the arterial walls and help eliminate it from the body. This action also helps to promote better circulation of blood throughout the body, especially to the heart.

For good vascular health, Red Wine Extract is considered the best herbal supplement that will maintain the health of capillaries, through which the blood delivers nutrients to individual cells and carries away waste products.

Red Wine Extract is also said to improve peripheral blood circulation, resulting in less pain and swelling in arms, ankles and legs and fewer nighttime cramps.  Use of Red Wine Extract is thought to relieve numbness and tingling, as well as varicose veins.  When the walls of small blood vessels weaken, the fluids they transport leak out, causing swelling, and OPCs strengthen capillary walls by blocking the degradation of the two proteins that give them strength and elasticity, collagen and elastin.  This action stops edema and swelling.

Red Wine Extract is believed to significantly improve blood circulation, which benefits both cardiac and cerebral function. Furthermore, because OPCs are able to cross the blood-brain barrier, they can protect the brain and spinal nerves against free radical damage.  Recent studies indicate that Red Wine Extract's compounds (OPCs) may also be helpful in inhibiting Alzheimer's disease and dementia and possibly improving cognitive and brain function (particularly in women).

As one of the finest antioxidants found in nature, Red Wine Extract from Grapeseed supports the immune system and works to combat free radical damage to cells and tissue and defend the body against serious malignant disease and infection.   This herbal supplement contains an resveratrol and is an important source of nature's most potent antioxidants, tannin compounds called proanthocyanidins (also called OPCs for oligomeric procyanidins or PCOs for procyanidolic oligomers)  that provide a high degree of antioxidant capacity, which fight free radical damage in the body.  These compounds allow the body's cells to absorb vitamin C, which is helpful in protecting cells from the free radicals that can bind to and destroy cellular compounds.  Such qualities are believed to be helpful in building the immune system and fighting invasive material and other infections.  They are classified as flavonols, and the way in which these versatile healing compounds are distinct from flavonoids is their simple chemical structure, which allows them to be readily absorbed into the bloodstream.  They work actively against fat-soluble and water-soluble oxidants, thus protecting the cells from damage. OPCs may also be derived from Pine Bark (the original source) and are present in Pomegranate, Hops, various flowers, fruits, berries, nuts and beans.  Clinical tests suggest that OPCs may be as much as fifty times more potent than vitamin E and twenty times more potent than vitamin C in terms of bioavailabile antioxidant activity.  Studies have shown that Red Wine Extract not only enhances the development of normal cells, but may also inhibit abnormal cell growth. Furthermore, Grapeseed tannins may even stimulate cell renewal by interfering with mucosal proteins.

According to researchers at Harvard Medical School, the resveratrol content and a class of enzymes known as sirtuins in Red Wine Grapes have been shown to enhance cell survival during times of stress, delay cell death and extend life.  It may be a way to boost the principal "anti-ageing" enzyme in living cells.  The researchers claim that resveratrol, which has already been credited with Red Wine’s ability to lower the risk of heart disease and cancer, may be the most potent anti-ageing booster ever discovered.

Macular degeneration may be slowed by the use of Red Wine Extract, and it may also reduce myopia and improve vision that is stressed by computer screens or glare.

Red Wine Extract's OPCs are said to promote tissue regeneration, strengthen and repair connective tissue, enhance collagen production, revitalize ageing skin and promote tissue elasticity, all of which also helps to reduce the tendency to bruise easily and increases the healing of injuries.

Test tube research has shown that the polyphenols in Red Wine Extract inhibit the growth of the Streptococcus mutans  bacteria that causes tooth decay.

Red Wine Extract is said to reduce histamine production, thus moderating allergic and inflammatory responses, and this action has helped many allergy sufferers.

Recent research at Long Island University’s Brooklyn Campus by professor Sidhartha D. Ray of the University’s Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Science indicates that

Red Wine Extract may protect the liver from damage caused by toxic doses of acetaminophen

(a non-prescription pain reliever).

According to recent research (2008) from Peninsula Medical School, England, the resveratrol found in Red Wine, Grape Skin and Pine Bark can protect against cellular damage to blood vessels caused by high production of glucose in diabetes, claiming resveratrol's antioxidant effects are well documented. But the new research establishes the link between high levels of glucose, its damaging effect on cell structure and the ability of resveratrol to protect against and mend that damage.  Moreover, resveratrol 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 hyperglycemia in the future.

Recommended Dosage:
Take one (1) capsule, one (1) time each day with water at mealtime.

Contraindications:
Do not take Red Wine Extract if you have anemia or if you are taking blood-thinning medication (aspirin, Coumadin, etc.).  Since the tannin content of Grapeseed is high, it may counter the effects of iron supplements and should be taken at a different time.

Capsule Size:
We use only 100% Gluten-free, Vegetable Cellulose "00" capsules for all of our encapsulated products. (click here for size comparison)

• Red Wine Extract (sold as Grapeseed) - Standardized Extract -- Approximately 600 mg. each