Grape stems are discarded en masse during the production of wine.

We love and produce a lot of wine in Nagano prefecture, and have been hoping to find a positive use for the previously discarded grape stems.

Scientists at Shinshu University studied compounds within grape stem extracts and found significant anti-cancer activity on tumour cells.

In this study, compounds from grape stems were isolated, characterised and evaluated for their anti-tumour activities.

One of the compounds in particular was found to have induced cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and suppressed the invasive activity of the cancerous prostate cells.

The compound also significantly suppressed the expression of the cancer-promoting gene FABP5.

Studies need to be carried out to determine if the compound interacts with potent receptors in cancer cells, and promise is observed regarding its anti-metastasis properties.

Further research is needed in vivo to determine if grape stems with food function can help deter cancer.

Source: Shinshu University