Resveratrol and COPD:
An ingredient found in red wine, resveratrol, may slow down the inflammatory process related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In this study, researchers tested the effects of resveratrol on lung fluid samples taken from 15 cigarette smoking control subjects and 15 people with COPD. First, macrophages (cells involved in the inflammatory process) were artificially spurred into action by an interleukin ([IL]-1β) (a chemical released by the lung, which stimulates the growth and activity of cells that contribute to lung damage) or cigarette smoke to stimulate the release of interleukin IL-8 and granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) before resveratrol was added by researchers. Resveratrol was added at a concentration of 100 micromoles per liter. The effect of resveratrol was examined on both basal and stimulated cytokine release. The introduction of resveratrol reduced basal release of interleukin in stimulated samples for both smokers and people with COPD by 94% and 88% respectively, and inhibited GM-CSF release by 79% and 76% respectively. It also nearly eliminated interleukin production all together in the non-stimulated samples, in essence reducing the number of cells that contribute to lung damage. Researchers believe that resveratrol may be an effective treatment option for COPD. (5)