Compound in Grapes Found to Reverse Kidney Disease
A high fat diet can lead to kidney disease; it’s true, the lipids can increase oxidative stress and depleted copper levels in the kidneys, having potentially lasting and debilitating effects. While reducing fat intake and eating a more balanced diet is the first step in prevention, researchers recently found that grapes could play and important role in reversing the kidney damage that is already done.
The study, published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, is the first of its kind to link grape seed and skin extracts (GSSEs) to the treatment of high-fat-diet-induced kidney disease.
The end of the study abstract reads:
“Grape seed and skin extract exerted potential protection against fat-induced kidney lipotoxicity and should find potential application in other kidney-related diseases.”
Researchers induced reno-lipotoxicity (kidney damage) in rats by feeding them a high fat diet. The high fat diet led to increases in urine protein and plasma urea, two signs of kidney damage. It also led to an increase of triglyceride deposits, oxidative stress, and lower copper levels. However, giving the rats a daily dose of 500mg/kg bw of GSSEs led to a partial reversal of the damage.
“In our research, obesity-induced leaky kidney and proteinuria are shown to be prevented by GSSE, which suggests the use of GSSE as a preventive nutriceutical for high-risk patients,” said co-author Kamel Charradi, from the Laboratory of Bioactive Substance at the Center of Biotechnology of Borj-Cedria (CBBC) in Tunisia.
Research on the benefits of GSSEs is not new. Scientists tie the many benefits of these extracts to their concentration of polyphenols, including resveratrol. Resveratrol, if you remember, is the beneficial compound also present in red wine, credited with such things as reducing the risks of heart disease and diabetes.
Another recent study linked resveratrol with protection against both hearing loss and cognitive decline. Scientists with the Henry Ford Hospital found that it could have far reaching effects.
“Our latest study focuses on resveratrol and its effect on bioinflammation, the body’s response to injury and something that is believed to be the cause of many health problems including Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, aging, and hearing loss,” said that study’s lead author Michael D. Seidman.
Lastly, but certainly not least, grape seed extract has even been shown to outperform common chemotherapy drugs in killing advanced colon cells.
While resveratrol has been a hot research topic for several years now, this most recent study on renal disease shows that there is still much to be learned.
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