According to a new Spanish study wine could protect against harmful sunburns. The researchers from the University of Barcelona and the Spanish National Research Council find that a compound found in grapes or grape derivatives may protect skin cells from skin-damaging ultraviolet radiation.
As the ultraviolet rays of the sun strike the skin they are said to activate “reactive oxygen species” or ROS, which then oxidize big molecules like lipids and DNA. This activates particular enzymes that kill skin cells. The flavonoids found in grapes work to halt the chemical reaction that kills skin cells and causes sun damage. They are said to possess antioxidant properties and work to decrease the formation of the ROS's in skin cells that were exposed to UVA and UVB rays.
The researchers, led by Marta Cascante, a biochemist at the University of Barcelona and director of the research project, note that this finding may lead to better sun-shielding drugs and cosmetics. “This study supports the idea of using these products to protect the skin from cell damage and death caused by solar radiation, as well as increasing our understanding of the mechanism by which they act,” she said.
The study was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
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