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Good news for wine lovers, the researchers found a compound present in red wine that can treat depression and anxiety.
The plant compound, resveratrol, has anti-stress effects by blocking the expression of an enzyme that controls stress in the brain.
"Resveratrol can be an effective alternative to drugs to treat patients with depression and anxiety disorders," said Ying Xu, badociate professor at the University of Buffalo, United States.
The findings, published in the journal Neuropharmacolog, shed light on the effects of resveratrol on neurological processes, a compound with multiple health benefits found in the skin and seeds of grapes and berries.
Although research determined that resveratrol had antidepressant effects, the relationship of this compound to phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4), an enzyme influenced by corticosterone, a stress hormone, was unknown.
Corticosterone regulates the body's response to stress. Too much stress, however, can result in excessive amounts of hormone circulating in the brain and, ultimately, depression or other mental disorders.
Research also reveals that PDE4, induced by excessive amounts of corticosterone, causes behavior similar to depression and anxiety.
The enzyme reduces cyclic adenosine monophosphate – a messenger molecule that signals physiological changes such as cell division, change, migration, and death – in the body, resulting in physical alterations in the brain.
Resveratrol has shown neuroprotective effects against corticosterone by inhibiting the expression of PDE4. The research lays the foundation for the use of the compound in newer antidepressants.
According to the researchers, although red wine contains resveratrol, alcohol consumption presents various health risks, including dependence.
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