The elixir's formula echoes recent scientific studies that credit resveratrol, a compound which is found in the skins of red grapes, with helping to prevent heart disease and other age-related illnesses. "Red wine does help prevent cardiovascular disease and may prevent other diseases of aging. It's still not clear if there is enough resveratrol to have the same kind of anti-aging effects in humans as we see in mice, but it is thought that a combination of resveratrol and other plant 'polyphenols,' as well as a bit of alcohol, are beneficial to health," David Sinclair, a pathology professor at Harvard Medical School, told Discovery News. Sinclair pointed out the eldest-ever man, Antonio Todd, was an Italian, who died at age 116. "My ancestors may not have known the names of the chemicals, but they knew that red wine, and Chianti in particular, had therapeutic properties," said De Munari. The other ingredients in the infusion are regional natural products, and all have antiseptic and antibacterial properties, according to the pharmacist. "They combine with resveratrol to achieve such a convincing result. We are so impressed that we are now working with a distillery in northern Italy to make the elixir on a commercial scale," De Munari said. The elixir will be presented to the scientific community at the "Wine and Health" congress in Montalcino next month. However, not all the ingredients will be revealed. "It's a secret formula, like Coca Cola's recipe. Indeed, pharmacists can create great drinks," De Munari said. Related Links: |
advertisement
Put Discovery News on Your Site!
|
-
our sites
-
video
mobile
-
shop
-
stay connected
-
corporate
