Press Release No. 37
Berlin
Enjoy in moderation: compound from grapes protects cells from aging
Resveratrol, a compound found in red grapes, is famous for its potential health benefits. This positive impact is not due to the antioxidant effect of the substance or the specific activation of certain “aging genes,” as was previously thought. Instead, the substance has a pro-oxidative effect and promotes the formation of free radicals and targeted cell reprogramming to protect against stress. Scientists from the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC) and the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics (MPIMG) demonstrated this with experiments on human skin cells.