Spanish scientists at the CSIC, the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid and at the Hospital de La Paz have developed a functional drink that combines hops extracte and wine without alcohol. The drink, that looks like wine, has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Also, in vivo essays have shown that the drink helps to reduce tryglicerids. It is an interesting alternative for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Companies interested in the developement and commercialisation of this drink, under a patent licence, are sought for.

The new functional drink that combines hops extracte and wine without alcohol.The new product,  which has been patented, is a wine-based beverage that includes natural extracts from hops. With antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The base wine is de-alcoholised with supercritical fluids technology, preserving its organoleptic properties. The hops extract is obtained with pressurised fluid (subcritical water), allowing the extraction of higher amounts of natural flavonoids, in particular the isoxantohumol. The supercritical fluids technology and subcritical water are clean processes, that use only water and CO₂, and makes it unnecessary to eliminate residual solvents. Also, these technologies enable the obtention of the purest and richest hop extracts and preserves the properties of the ingredients due to the low processing temperatures. It is also an environmentaly friendly process.

In vivo experiment shown that the drink can control the tryglicerids levels in plasma and can prevent their increase, even when it is combined with a diet rich in cholesterol

One of the most interesting qualities of the drink is that it can control the tryglicerids levels in plasma and can prevent their increase, even when it is combined with a diet rich in cholesterol. As CSIC scientist Elena Ibañez explains, essays in vivo with rodents have shown very promising results.

In the experiment, a first group of rats were fed with a diet rich in cholesterol and, simultaneusly, the wine and hop drink. A second group of rats received a control diet. The results shown that  the first group had a significant decrease  of the plasma tryglicerids compared to the second group. At the same time, the functional drink causes a decrease in the oxidation levels of the organs with high amounts of lipids, such as liver, kidneys and adipose tissue.

Other in vitro essays have demonstrated that the developed drink causes a decrease in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6)and an increase in the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10), being this activity higher than the effect of some specific anti-inflammatory drugs.

Nevertheless, all these are preliminar results and cannot be extrapolated to human beings. The product is still at the development stage and new clinical essays are required. The scientific team is looking for industrial partners interested in the developement and commercialisation of this functional drink.

Contact:

Debora Villaño Valencia
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