Formation of Acutissimin A in red wine through the contact with cork

TitleFormation of Acutissimin A in red wine through the contact with cork
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2006
AuthorsGil, L., Pereira C., Branco P., & Teixeira A.
JournalJOURNAL INTERNATIONAL DES SCIENCES DE LA VIGNE ET DU VIN
Volume40
Pagination217-221
Keywordsacutissimin A, Cork, HPLC/MS, identification, oak, wine
Abstract

This study shows that when cork material gets in contact with wine, the elagitannins which exist in the cork material (namely one called vescalagin) react with the catechins present in the wine, producing, among others, Acutissimin A, which is an anti-tumoural agent about 250 times more potent than one of the most common anti-cancer drugs clinically used (VP-16). So, the contact of wine samples without the barrel winemaking stage (oak contact) was carried out with cork in order to determine the presence of Acutissimin A. After a contact time of about 30 min, 150 min and 6 days, Acutissimin A was detected in all samples containing cork. In the samples in which the contact was with oak wood, in our conditions, it was not possible to detect Acutissimin A.