Comprehensive Library Of Resveratrol News

Since 2013 it has been known that red wine molecules restore lost vision to even the oldest patients with macular degeneration.  But now science works backwards to figure out why.

Researchers report a combination of molecules found in concentrated form in red wine, without alcohol, work synergistically to inhibit undesirable new blood vessels in a lab dish study.  Resveratrol alone was not able to prevent these abnormal blood vessels.  The key molecules that produced the synergistic effect were resveratrol and quercetin.

With advancing age blood circulation to the back of the eyes is often reduced.  Lacking oxygen, abnormal blood vessels crop out to deliver needed oxygen to the retina, a process called angiogenesis of neovascularization, but in so doing, destroy the visual center of the eyes (the macula).

The retina is about the size of two postage stamps and is comprised of millions of light receptor cells.  The retina must remain clear of blood or humans would be seeing red all the time.

An oxygen-starved retina will produce a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) that sends a signal to produce new blood vessels to deliver more oxygen.

When abnormal retinal blood vessels obscure vision at the back of the eyes, eye doctors normally needle-inject eyes with a medicine that inhibits these undesirable new blood vessels.  The treatment requires monthly injections.

About 15% of patients with macular degeneration do not respond to drug therapy.  The red wine molecules now present an alternative for these patients.