Ingestion of red wine significantly increases plasma phenolic acid concentrations but does not acutely affect ex vivo lipoprotein oxidizability.

BACKGROUND Reduced lipoprotein oxidizability by red wine phenols has been proposed as the basis for a relatively lower incidence of coronary heart disease in red wine drinkers. We showed previously that caffeic and protocatechuic acids isolated from red wine exhibit antioxidant activity in vitro. However, there is no information in the literature on the absorption of these compounds after red wine ingestion. OBJECTIVES We sought to determine whether certain phenolic acids can be detected in the circulation after red wine consumption and if their presence has an acute effect on serum and LDL oxidation ex vivo. DESIGN Twelve healthy male nonsmokers consumed red wine, phenol-stripped red wine, dealcoholized red wine, or water, each at a separate visit, in random order and 1 wk apart. Beverages were consumed over 30 min and blood was sampled just before beverage consumption and 1, 2, and 4 h after consumption. Plasma caffeic, protocatechuic, and 4-O-methylgallic acids were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. We also measured copper-induced serum and LDL oxidizability ex vivo and serum uric acid. RESULTS Caffeic acid and 4-O-methylgallic acid concentrations increased significantly (P < 0.025) after consumption of red wine and dealcoholized red wine compared with water or phenol-stripped red wine. Uric acid increased significantly (P < 0.001) after ingestion of red wine, phenol-stripped red wine, and dealcoholized red wine. There was no effect on ex vivo serum or LDL oxidation after any of the beverages. CONCLUSION Although red wine and dealcoholized red wine consumption acutely increase plasma phenolic acid and serum uric acid concentrations, the increase is insufficient to influence ex vivo lipoprotein oxidation.