Author: Dean Rouseberg
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Last Updated:
August 08, 2022
Flavonoids found in grapes protect the skin from burning by stopping the reaction that causes skin damage.
If we want to protect ourselves from sunburn, we need to consume more wine in the summer, according to a new study by scientists from the University of Barcelona and the Spanish National Research Center.
An integral part of the grapes, as well as everything produced from them, protects the skin from the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays.
The flavonoids found in grapes stop the chemical reaction that kills skin cells and causes burns.
When UV rays reach the skin, they activate "reactive oxygen species" (ROS), which oxidize molecules such as lipids and DNA.
This, in turn, activates certain enzymes that kill skin cells.
However, the flavonoids in grapes reduce the formation of reactive oxygen species and skin cells that are exposed to UVA and UVB rays.
The researchers, led by Martha Cascante, a biochemist at the University of Barcelona and project leader, said the findings could lead to more effective drugs and cosmetics against the sun's harmful effects.
The study is published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry .