Resveratrol, a chemical found in red grapes (and also in red wine), may help combat influenza, according to an Italian study reported in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Researchers led by Dr Anna Teresa Palamara from the Institute of Microbiology, Rome, say that the chemical, which is capable of scavenging the so-called ‘reactive oxygen’ (which binds with cellular material very easily), can help inhibit the multiplication of the flu virus. “Reports of the antioxidant activities of the chemical resveratrol prompted us to investigate its effects on influenza virus replication in vitro [outside the living body] and in vivo [inside the living body],” they write in the journal.

The researchers carried out experiments on cell culture and also went for an animal study. They found that in mice infected with influenza virus, the chemical could significantly improve survival. “The concentration of the virus in the mice lung decreases six days after the infection,” they write in the Journal of INfectious Diseases. However, the best effect of the drug was observed when it was given within three hours of infection.

According to Palamara and her colleagues, resveratrol affect the functions of the host cells, blocking the replication of the virus. In other words, the chemical’s anti-influenza activity centres on its ability to interfere with key “host-cell functions” esssential for virus replication. “That resveratrol acts by inhibiting a cellular, rather than a viral function, suggests that it could be a powerful anti-influenza drug,” say the researchers.

3 more benefits from the chemical

1: Heart disease: A study reported in the American Journal of Physiology suggests that resveratrol helps keep heart muscles soft, and thus combat heart diseases. Researcher Joshua Bomser from the Ohio State University, and colleagues suggest that resveratrol aids the pumping efficiency of the heart, thus maintaining a healthy circulation.

2: Alzheimer’s: Studies suggest that resveratrol can help combat Alzheimer’s. A research in Molecular Chemistry and Neuropathology says that resveratrol scavenges ‘reactive oxygen’ in the brain tissues. This keeps Alzheimer’s at bay.

3: Breast cancer: A study published in the Journal of Cellular Physiology suggests that resveratrol can combat breast cancer. According to researchers, the mechanism behind this is that the chemical inhibits the growth of a group of receptors, called oestrogen receptors (which contribute in the development of breast cancer).