| Summary: | Red wines have been shown to protect the vascular system by increasing the endothelial formation of nitric oxide (NO). This study investigated the vasoactive properties of an alcohol-free Cabernet-Sauvignon northeastern Brazilian red wine – RIOSOL (RSCS) extract. The polyphenolic-rich RSCS contained 4.2 mg GAE/L of polyphenols, and its major compounds included quercetin, myricetin and kaempferol. In normotensive conscious rats, RSCS produced hypotension and tachycardia, which were attenuated by the endothelial NO synthase inhibitor (eNOS), L-NAME. In addition, after 2 weeks of oral treatment, RSCS reduced arterial pressure in L-NAME-treated hypertensive rats. RSCS caused NO-mediated relaxations in phenylephrine contracted mesenteric artery rings, and induced the formation of NO and superoxide anions and a redox-sensitive phosphorylation of Akt and eNOS in cultured endothelial cells. In conclusion, the findings indicate that an alcohol-free lyophilized RSCS induced hypotension and endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation as a consequence of the activation of the Akt-eNOS-NO pathway in a redox-sensitive manner.
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