Researchers demonstrate that resveratrol, the ingredient which is found in red wine, prevents the growth of breast cancer cells by stopping the growth effects of estrogen.
These study results suggest that resveratrol is capable of counteracting the malignant progression as it suppresses the spreading of hormone resistant breast cancer cells. The discovery has significant implications for treating breast cancer in women whose tumors at some point develop a resistance to hormonal therapy.[1]
The researchers made use of a number of breast cancer cell lines that express the estrogen receptor in order to evaluate the effects of resveratrol. The different cells were then treated with resveratrol and their growth was compared with cells which were left untreated. A significant decrease in cell growth in cells treated with resveratrol was found, though no changes were observed in cells that were untreated. More experiments discovered that this effect was linked to a major reduction of estrogen receptor levels triggered by resveratrol.
The researchers conclude that although these results are exciting, they in no way mean that women should go out and start making use of resveratrol supplements or red wine for treating breast cancer. The results do however mean that researchers have not finished distilling the secrets of good health which have been concealed in natural products like red wine.
