Grape ( Vitis vinifera L. )

Taxonomic classification

Description

Men of the Neolithic Age knew and cultivated wild grapes on the territory of present day Iran, Armenia, and Turkey, as early as 6000 B.C. By 500 B.C., vine cultivation and wine culture spread to Mesopotamia, Palestine, Egypt, and the islands of the Aegean Sea. At the dawn of feudalism, during the early Middle Ages, Europe assumed the leading role in grape and wine production, which was previously held by Asia.
The ancestors of Hungarians learned how to cultivate grapes and make wine from Turkish peoples during their migrations. Viticulture had old traditions in the Carpathian basin even before the original settlement of present day Hungary by Hungarians. Settlement and the development of the feudal State opened the way for the development of wine culture, which saw several periods of progress and of decline in the course of past centuries. The Mongol invasion of Hungary of 1241-1242, the Turkish occupation (16th and 17th centuries), Rákóczis insurrection (1703-1711), and Austrian rule all left their mark on the viticulture of their respective age. The greatest change was brought by phylloxera, as this pest destroyed half the vines in the country in 20 years and this was also when the first great wave of emigration started. In the hills of Buda, the place of the destroyed vineyards was often taken by Peach and Apricot plantations. Grape production on sandy soil, then importation of disease resistant directly yielding cultivars saved Hungarian plantations and vine-growing areas began to increase again. Hungarian plantations, which have undergone many other changes until the 21st century, are currently grouped in 22 wine regions, and take up approximately 130 thousand hectares.

Use in alternative medicine

The fruits of vines abound in active biological substances which are also found in wines made from grape must, therefore wine was considered one of the most important remedies even in ancient times. Because of its antiseptic effects, wine was used to heal wounds and ulcers and to wash infants, while taken internally it was used to treat cardiac weakness, circulatory disorders, respiratory diseases, and digestive disorders. The most recent research supports the usefulness of wine therapy, as the polyphenolic compounds in grape skin, also found in red wines, have been shown to have beneficent effects in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Folk medicine highly esteemed wine, not just in its pure form, but also mixed with medicinal plants as herbal wine or medicinal wine. Recipes for over a hundred types of herbal wine may be found in literature of the period, recommended for patients suffering from a wide range of ailments. The wines of Tokaj and the essence of Tokaj were even listed in the Hungarian Registry of Medicines, as a form of recognition of their general strengthening effects. The cold pressed oil of grape seed also contains many valuable substances, of which the quantities of poly-unsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E are outstanding. Poly-unsaturated fatty acids help the functioning of the immune system and are building blocks of the nervous system and the retina. They reduce cholesterol levels, thereby the risk of arteriosclerosis and circulatory disorders, while they strengthen the walls of capillaries and lower the risk of thrombosis.

Use in cosmetics

The cosmetics industry utilises the berries, seeds, leaves, and roots of grapes. A distillate derived from the fruits of grapes is a strengthening and covering substance, while their extract is a skin conditioning agent. The juices of berries are skin conditioners, the seeds are skin protective substances, and the seed oil is a softening agent. Cold pressed grape seed oil has bactericidal, anti-inflammatory, and skin and hair regenerating effects. It may be an active ingredient in many types of cosmetics and may be used as an additive in massage oils and massage creams during cellulite treatments. Grape seed oil may be used in cosmetic products to care for sensitive, normal, and lipid deficient and dehydrated skin. The fruit acids in pressed grape juice have exfoliating effects when applied directly or in peels. The juice of the fruits and the active ingredients in fruit pulp hydrate, vitaminise, and regenerate skin. Thanks to an antioxidant OPC complex, products containing grape seed slow the ageing processes of skin by strengthening collagen fibres, and they have nourishing, smoothing effects.

Active ingredients

Grape berries
- Sugars (glucose, fructose, galactose, maltose, arabinose, melibiose, raffinose, xylose, mannose, saccharose)
- Organic acids (malic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid)
- Pigments (flavones, anthocyanins)
- Tannins
- Substances containing nitrogen (proteins, amino acids, nitrates)
- Aromatic substances (terpene alcohols, esters, aldehydes, ketones, lactones, terpenes, acetates, amines)
- Pectins (pectin, rubber, pentosans, arabans, polysaccharides)
- Minerals (K, Mg, Na, P, Fe, B, Cu, Mg, Zn)
- Vitamins (B1, B2, B6, B12, H, panthotenic acid, mesoinosit, para-aminobenzoic acid, folic acid, choline)
- Resveratrol (in the skin of the berries)

Grape seed:
- Oil: 8-12 %
Oleic acids (linoleic acid, linolenic acid, palmitoleic acid, stearic acid, palmic acid, alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3)
- Oligomeric Proanthocyanidin (OPC) complex: vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, selenium, biflavonoids, bioflavanols (in the seed shell)
- Steroids