Red wine but not alcohol consumption improves cardiovascular function and oxidative stress of the hypertensive-SHR and diabetic-STZ rats.

Aims: This raised the issue of whether long-term red wine treatment can act as a modulator of these targets.

Main Methods: We monitored SBP, glucose tolerance, oxidative stress, and cardiovascular function. Aortic and atrial tissues from normotensive-WKY, hypertensive-SHR, and diabetic-STZ animals, chronically exposed to red wine (3.715 ml/kg/v.o/day) or alcohol (12%) for 21-days, were used to measure contractile/relaxation responses by force transducers. : red wine, but not alcohol, prevented the increase of SBP and hyperglycemic peak. Additionally, was observed prevention of oxidative stress metabolites formation and an improvement in ROS scavenging antioxidant capacity of SHR. We also revealed that red wine intake enhances the endothelium-dependent relaxation, decreases the hypercontractile mediated by angiotensin-II in the aorta, and via β-adrenoceptors in the atrium.

Significance: The long-term consumption of red wine can improve oxidative stress and the functionality of angiotensin-II and β-adrenoceptors, inspiring new pharmacologic and dietetic therapeutic approaches for the treatment of hypertension and diabetes. Cytosolic Ca Concentration; Acetylcholine; Angiotensin II; ANG II type 1 receptor; Area Under the Curve; Calcium; Endothelium Intact; Phenylephrine (1 μM); Glucose Tolerance Test; Isoprenaline (isoproterenol); Krebs-Henseleit Nutrient; Left Atria; Lipid Hydroperoxide; Nitric Oxide; Right Atria; Renin-Angiotensin System; Reactive Oxygen Species; Systolic Blood Pressure; Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats; Streptozotocin; Normotensive Wistar Kyoto Rats.