France is reported to have the highest wine intake and the highest total alcohol intake with the second lowest mortality rate from coronary heart disease in the world. This sugest a protective effect of wine no matter how much fat is consumed. Several wine components show promise for their possible cardioprotectie effects. Apart from alcohol itself, polyphenolic components such as bioflavonoids and proanthocyanidins. Components of grape skin, such as resveratrol and nitric oxide and also important.
Nitric oxide is found to have relaxing effect on the endotheleum of coronary arteries and aorta.
Low levels of nitric oxide have been shown to cause hyperlipidemia in rats. The beneficial effect of alcohol may be due to its effect on fibrinolytic factors.