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Yes, what is obvious has been confirmed.  Despite unfounded claims that all of the research studies showing resveratrol protects heart muscle tissue during a heart attack, even Wikipedia spreads misinformation that that fact is in question due to bogus allegations of scientific fraud against a leading resveratrol scientist.  Canadian researchers unequivocally show that resveratrol protects the heart under conditions of biological stress induced by instillation of hydrogen peroxide by maintaining antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase).  Once damaged (scarred), heart muscle cells (cardiomyocytes) are not rapidly repaired.  So it is critical to protect these cells.  Resveratrol does something that no existing cardiac drug an do — protect the heart prior to a heart attack (this is called cardioprotection).  It has been called the most ideal form of heart protection.  Based upon animal lab studies, cardioprotection has been demonstrated to have the potential to turn otherwise mortal heart attacks into non-mortal events, which is more than aspirin or statin drugs can do.  — Bill Sardi, ResveratrolNews.com

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Arch Biochem Biophys.  2012 May 22. [Epub ahead of print]

Resveratrol protects adult cardiomyocytes against oxidative stress mediated cell injury.

Movahed A, Yu L, Thandapilly SJ, Louis XL, Netticadan T.

Source

Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine, Winnipeg, Canada R2H2A6.

Abstract

Recent studies from our laboratory have showed that resveratrol, a polyphenol found predominantly in grapes rendered strong cardioprotection in animal models of heart disease. The cardioprotection which was observed was primarily associated with the ability of resveratrol to reduce oxidative stress in these models. The aim of the current study was to corroborate the role of resveratrol as an inhibitor of oxidative stress and explore the underlying mechanisms of its action in heart disease. For this purpose, we used a cell model of oxidative stress, the hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) exposed adult rat cardiomyocytes, which was treated with and without resveratrol (30 μM); cardiomyocytes which were not exposed to resveratrol served as controls. Cell injury, cell death and oxidative stress measurements as well as the activities of the major endogenous antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were carried out in control and H₂O₂ exposed cardiomyocytes, treated with and without resveratrol. Pharmacological blockade using specific blockers of the antioxidant enzymes were used to confirm their role in mediating resveratrol action in H₂O₂ exposed cardiomyocytes. The status of H₂O₂ and antioxidant enzymes in serum samples from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) treated with and without resveratrol (2.5 mg/kg body weight) was also examined. Our results showed significant cell injury and death in H₂O₂ exposed cardiomyocytes which was prevented upon resveratrol treatment. SOD and CAT activities were decreased in H₂O₂ exposed adult rat cardiomyocytes; treatment with resveratrol significantly prevented this reduction. However, GPx activity was not altered in the H₂O₂ exposed cardiomyocytes in comparison to controls. Pharmacological blockade of SOD and/or CAT prevented the beneficial effect of resveratrol. In SHR, H₂O₂ levels were increased, but CAT activity was decreased, while SOD remained unchanged, when compared to WKY rats; resveratrol treatment significantly prevented the increase in H₂O₂ levels and the decrease in CAT activities in SHR. Based on our results, we conclude that treatment with resveratrol prevents oxidative stress induced cardiomyocyte injury mainly by preserving the activities of critical antioxidant enzymes. This may be a crucial mechanism by which resveratrol confers cardioprotection.

Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PMID: 22633977