The prominent natural phenolic compounds in the Muscadine Naturals powder are: Ellagic Acid, Myricetin, Quercetin, Kaempferol, Resveratrol, and Piceatannol.
Ellagic acid has an excellent free-radical scavenging activity. It has shown to have activity against a number of different types of cancer cells including lung, esophageal, prostate, refractory prostate cancer, breast cancer and colon cancer.
Myricetin is a polyphenolic antioxidant. It along with Resveratrol, Piceatannol, Quercetin and Kaempferol have been shown to have activity against formation of B-amyloid fibrils and has thereby excited researchers as a potential thwart to Alzheimer’s disease (accumulation of amyloid fibrils in nerve cells of the brain has been thought to be a significant part of Alzheimer’s.
Myricetin (along with Quercetin, Kaempferol, and Resveratrol) implicated as the key compounds responsible for the effectiveness of grape powder in exerting a cardio-protective effect in pre and post menopausal women, by lowering plasma lipids, and reducing oxidative stress. Myricetin has also (along with Quercetin, Kaempferol, Resveratrol, and Piceatannol) recently been shown to enhance bone formation experimentally. This may have implications in preventing osteoporosis. Resveratrol has been shown to reverse the osteoporosis-induced by cigarette smoking, as well as doxin toxicity, and inhibit myleoma cell growth while preventing osteoclast (bone resorbing cells) activity and promoting osteoblast (bone forming cells) activity. The active form of Resveratrol, Piceatannol stimulates osteoblast differentiation mediated by bone morphogenic protein-2 (BMP-2) production. Myricetin has also been shown to stimulate BMP-2, osteoblast formation and holds promise for the ability to increase bone mass.
The use of these grape polyphenols (along with Quercetin, Kaempferol, Resveratrol, and Piceatannol, which are prominent in grape skins) have been shown to have particular potential benefits in addressing climacteric (menopause) syndrome as well as in prostate health, as well as their anti-carcinogenic, neuro-protective, cardio-protective, and bone forming properties.
Kaempferol has generated a great deal of excitement as a plant-derived polyphenol that not only protects LDL from oxidation, but also prevents atherogenesis (initiation and buildup of plaque in the arteries – the basic process which causes heart attacks and strokes). Another exciting publication showed that Kaempferol induces apoptosis (cell death) in glioblastoma (a malignant brain tumor). Kaempferol, like its counterpart grape polyphenols, has previously been shown to suppress growth of a number of human malignancies.
Quercetin has been shown to lower blood pressure in patients with high blood pressure, to protect against mercurial toxicity, as well as having some alleviating effect for chronic prostatitis/ chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Together with Resveratrol, Quercetin has been shown to reduce apoptotic neuronal cell death by its anti-inflammatory properties (which may be relevant to Parkinson’s Disease). Quercetin has also been shown to be cardioprotective. It has been shown to protect heart cells from the toxicity of drugs used for treating cancer with notable cardiac toxicity.
Recent work at the National Cancer Institute shows an inhibition of prostate cancer cell growth by Muscadine grape skin extract. Skin inhibition was found to be independent of the prostate cancer cell inhibition by Resveratrol. The muscadine grape skin powder of Muscadine Naturals contains both of these prostate cancer fighting components! The authors of this finding have recommended that it is an important source for further development of a chemo-preventative or a therapeutic agent against prostate cancer.
Antioxidants can help prevent the initiation, propagation, and termination of free radicals. Muscadine grapes and the antioxidants present in this grape have been studied as powerful antioxidants. Some of the most notable phytonutrients studied as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents found in the Muscadine grape include but are not limited to:
Resveratrol
Piceatannol
Ellagic Acid
Catechin
Epicatechin
Quercetin
Myricetin
Pterostilbene
Gallic Acid
Pectin (a dietary fiber)
Kaempferol
Vitamin C
Caffeic Acid
Anthocyanidins
OPCs Oligometric Procyanidins
These phytonutrients are well-known in the scientific and health care professional community for their beneficial effects. Many have been studied as effective antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. While a high ORAC value is important, “many scientists think that the disease-fighting benefits of fruits and berries is not just due to their ability to provide antioxidant protection. It is also highly likely that phenolic compounds like resveratrol and quercetin produce specific gene responses reducing inflammation and improving the health of the heart and other organs.”
Nutrition
Muscadines are technically in the berry family and provide the beneficial phytonutrients associated with the purple to red range of fruits. Nutritionally, Muscadine grapes are low in fat and sodium, and have a healthy amount of potassium, fiber, and Vitamin C. The essential nutrients in a 100g (3.5oz.) serving of Muscadine grapes are listed in the table.
Interestingly it has been pointed out that the fiber in Muscadine grapes is more than that in oats. According to the FDA, a food that has at least 0.6 grams of soluble fiber per serving without fortification can make the following claim: “Low fat diets rich in fiber may reduce the risk of some types of cancer and may reduce the risk of heart disease.” One serving of Muscadine grapes clearly qualifies for this claim. This is one key reason Muscadine grape skin-based products are thought to lower cholesterol.