Alcoholic fatty liver disease is an umbrella term used to describe a number of hepatic (liver) conditions which, at their root, can be traced to an unhealthy accumulation of fatty acids in the liver caused by the excessive consumption of alcohol. Resveratrol is a highly ubiquitous phyto-micronutrient found under the skin of grapes used to make red wine, and has become increasingly pervasive as a source of research for longevity, cancer prevention and a host of other fields.
A new study from the Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology at the University of South Florida in Tampa examined the effects of resveratrol supplementation on laboratory mice concurrently subjected to excessive amounts of alcohol (in the form of ethanol). The study reinforced the fact that resveratrol increases the expression and activity of the enzymes SIRT1 and AMPK, molecules which, among their numerous other roles, break down fats in the liver. In short, the resveratrol-treated mice experienced reduced lipid synthesis and increased fatty acid oxidation, thus preventing hepatic steatosis (abnormal retention of lipids) which leads to alcoholic fatty liver disease.
While resveratrol has established a reputation within scientific and preventative health circles mainly as a CR (calorie-restriction) mimetic, this study suggests that it may also serve as a promising agent for the prevention or treatment of alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Source: Ajmo JM, Liang X, Rogers CQ, Pennock B, You M. Resveratrol alleviates alcoholic fatty liver in mice. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2008 Oct;295(4):G833-42.
For more information, see Acta-Resveratrol.
|
