A new study by Spanish researchers revealed that the compound ‘polyphenols,’ which is found naturally in red wine, may keep blood vessels alive and well in elder, hypertensive women.

The study, conducted on rats, has claimed that the chemical found in red wine could possibly help ease high blood pressure in postmenopausal women.    

The researchers said that women who had gone through menopause have higher possibility of having high blood pressure, as compared to men of the same age, emphasizing the need to discover potential curative measures.

The study also indicates that the red-wine compounds may help cut hypertension plus the risks or complications linked with it including inflammation of the arteries, a restricted aorta or oxidative stress on the blood vessels.

Lead researcher Rocío López-Sepúlveda, a scientist at the department of pharmacology at the University of Granada, who noted in the study text that earlier study has discovered that red-wine polyphenols can provide protection against cardiovascular disease.

Reported in the Wine Spectator, the recent study has also included study from the University Complutense of Madrid.

Scientists used female rats that were genetically engineered to have hypertension. The researchers stimulated menopause by taking out the rats' ovaries, after which time the rats' blood pressure got up because of the altered DNA.

The scientists dealt half the rats with different types of red-wine chemicals linked with enhanced circulation for five weeks. The remaining rats serving as a control group got only water with their food.

After a time period of five weeks, the researchers analyzed the rats' blood vessels. They detected that the hypertension had been relieved in the rats that had a regular red-wine-compound treatment along with their food. The rats experienced more relaxed aortas, healthier linings to the veins and arteries, as well as less oxidative stress, all of which are linked with lower blood pressure.

The scientists cautioned, however that while their results indicate that the risk of hypertension in postmenopausal women could potentially be reduced through the use of regular red-wine-chemical supplements, they may not extend to women who drink red wine.

The study was published in the April 2008 issue of the medical journal ‘Hypertension.’