The in vitro effect of a lyophilized extract of wine obtained from Jacquez grapes on human chondrocytes

The present work was aimed at evaluating the in vitro effects of a lyophilized extract of wine (JW-E) obtained from Jacquez grapes (Vitis aestivalis-cinerea x Vitis vinifera grapes) on the production of key molecules released in inflammatory disease utilising interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) activated chondrocytes. The extract contains large amounts of phenolic components, in particular some flavonoids (flavan-3-ols, also known as catechins) and proanthocyanidins, as hydroxycinnamic acids and anthocyanins, that possess several biological features such as antinflammatory and antioxidant effects and a "radical scavenger" activity too. In this study, we assayed the effect of JW-E on the production of key molecules released during chronic inflammatory events as nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandins E-2 (PGE(2)) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in human chondrocytes culture, stimulated with proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 beta. The JW-E proved to possess good ability against the harmful] effects of IL-1 beta. Our data showed the protective effects of JW-E in cartilage alteration, that appears greater than that elicited by indomethacin, a not steroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID), commonly employed in joint diseases. (c) 2005 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.