Red wine polyphenols improve endothelium-dependent dilation in rat cerebral arterioles

Moderate consumption of red wine is associated with a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease. Red wine polyphenols (RWP) have been proposed to be beneficial, but there is lack of evidence concerning the cerebrovascular effects of RWP. We studied the effect of local administration of a RWP extract (10(-2) mg/mL) on the diameter of rat cerebral arterioles using an open cranial window technique in vivo. We measured cerebral arteriolar diameter and systemic blood pressure. Cerebral arterioles reacted concentration-dependently to adenosine diphosphate [ADP, dilatation EC50 5.3 x 10(-5) M (95% confidence interval: 3.1 to 9.0 x 10 M(-5))], NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester [L-NAME, constriction EC50 5.8 x 10(-9) M (95% CI: 2.5 x 10(-9) to 1.4 x 10(-8) M)]. and sodium nitroprusside [SNP, dilatation EC50 1.0 x 10(-6) M (95% CI: 9.2 x 10(-7) to 1.1 x 10(-6) M)]. RWP enhanced vasodilation induced by ADP (10(-4) M) from 17 +/- 2% to 29 +/- 4% and reversed L-NAME-induced vasoconstriction but did not affect SNP-induced vasodilation. Systemic hypotension induced by hemorrhage caused myogenic arteriolar dilation. RWP further dilated cerebral arterioles (from -1 +/- 2% to 8 +/- 3%) with 1 mL of blood withdrawn. In summary, RWP improved endothelium-dependent and pressure-induced vasodilation in rat cerebral arterioles. This could be beneficial in improving cerebral blood flow under ischemic condition.