Proanthocyanidins exist in many types of foods. Supplements made from both grape seed extract and pine bark are available in health food stores and some pharmacies. The pine bark products are called Pycnogenol . Findings from a study at the University of Illinois indicate that a compound commonly found in grapes may be effective in combating many of the stages of cancer. Mice who were injected with resveratrol not only experienced slower tumor growth, but 98 percent fewer skin tumors.
Red wines are rich in resveratrol, while lighter wines contain lesser amounts.
Nonalcoholic alternatives include peanuts, mulberries and grapes. In other research studies, resveratrol kept cells from turning cancerous and stopped the spread of malignancies. Resveratrol also blocked cell inflammation, which is linked to arthritis and other diseases. A recent study at the University of North Carolina concludes that resveratrol acts like an antibiotic to protect grapes from fungus, and may turn off a protein that guards cancer cells from cancer-fighting therapies such as chemotherapy. This article is for information purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice.