The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7214 p310
7 September 2002

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European Society of Cardiology (www.escardio.org)

Red wine decreases risk of thrombosis

Drinking two glasses of red wine a day could decrease the risk of thrombosis, Spanish researchers have suggested.

Professor Lina Badimon, and colleagues at the Cardiovascular Research Centre in Barcelona, fed two groups of pigs a diet with a similar saturated fatty acid profile to that of western humans and supplemented one group with 40g alcohol a day, in the form of red wine. This is equivalent to 400ml in adult humans, or approximately two glasses of wine.

The researchers found platelet deposition on mildly and severely damaged vascular walls was reduced by 30–40 per cent in animals given a daily dose of red wine. Furthermore, expression of the Rho-A protein in platelet membranes was also reduced. The protein influences platelet activation and affects the coagulation process by decreasing the expression of tissue factor, a major component of the coagulation system.

The researchers conclude: "A moderate consumption of red wine induces an inhibitory effect on thrombosis, triggered by damaged vessel walls. Therefore, consumption of two glasses a day of red wine could be considered as a protective factor for cardiovascular risk."

The study was presented as a poster at the European Society of Cardiology annual congress in Berlin, earlier this week.