Red wine inhibits the cell-mediated oxidation of LDL and HDL.

Objective: We compared the in vitro effects of red wine, white wine and ethanol on the cell mediated oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) by three frequently-used assays.

Methods: LDL and HDL isolated from normolipidemic human serum were incubated with J774.A1 macrophages in DMEM with copper, with or without red wine, white wine or ethanol (equivalent to 0.2 mg ethanol/ml). Lipoprotein oxidation was assessed by conjugated diene formation as measured by changes in absorbance at 234 nm (deltaA234), thiobarbituric-acid-reactive-substance (TBARS) production and trinitrobenzene-sulfonic-acid (TNBS) reactivity.

Results: Red wine (0.2 mg ethanol/mL) inhibited LDL oxidation as indicated by an 85.7% decrease in absorbance at 234 nm, a 96.5% decrease in TBARS production and complete prevention of the decrease in TNBS reactivity. White wine and ethanol did not have any significant effect at 0.2 mg/mL. White wine at 1.0 mg ethanol/mL inhibited TBARS production from LDL by 84.1%. Red wine (0.2 mg ethanol/mL) inhibited HDL oxidation as indicated by a 78.9% decrease in deltaA234, an 81.7% decrease in TBARS production and by no change in TNBS reactivity. White wine and ethanol had no effect at 0.2 mg/mL. White wine at 1.0 mg ethanol/mL inhibited TBARS production from HDL by 66.4%.

Conclusions: These results indicate that red wine inhibits the cell mediated oxidation of lipoproteins, that white wine is not as effective as red wine and that the effect of the red wine is not due to its ethanol content.