Abstract
Grapevine canes are viticulture waste that is usually discarded without any further use. However, recent studies have shown that they contain significant concentrations of health-promoting compounds, such as stilbenes, secondary metabolites of plants produced as a response to biotic and abiotic stress from fungal disease or dryness. Stilbenes have been associated with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties and they have been tested as potential treatments of cardiovascular and neurological diseases, and even cancer, with promising results. Stilbenes have been described in the different genus of the Vitaceae family, the Vitis genera being one of the most widely studied due to its important applications and economic impact around the world. This review presents an in-depth study of the composition and concentration of stilbenes in grapevine canes. The results show that the concentration of stilbenes in grapevine canes is highly influenced by the Vitis genus and cultivar aspects (growing conditions, ultraviolet radiation, fungal attack, etc.). Different methods for extracting stilbenes from grapevine canes have been reviewed, and the extraction conditions have also been studied, underlining the advantages and disadvantages of each technique. After the stilbenes were extracted, they were analyzed to determine the stilbene composition and concentration. Analytical techniques have been employed with this aim, in most cases using liquid chromatography, coupled with others such as mass spectrometry and/or nuclear magnetic resonance to achieve the individual quantification. Finally, stilbene extracts may be applied in multiple fields based on their properties. The five most relevant are preservative, antifungal, insecticide, and biostimulant applications. The current state-of-the-art of the above applications and their prospects are discussed.
Highlights
Wine production is an important part of agriculture and the beverage industry worldwide
The results show that the concentration of stilbenes in grapevine canes is highly influenced by the Vitis genus and cultivar aspects
Aqueous extracts from grapevine canes were applied as biostimulants and the results showed an increase in gallic acid, hydroxycinnamoyl tartaric acid, acylated anthocyanins, flavonols, and stilbene content, and a differentiation in the wine quality that could even benefit human health [127,128]
Summary
Wine production is an important part of agriculture and the beverage industry worldwide. Grapevine canes are rich in lignin, cellulose, nitrogen, and potassium—the reason why they are highly composted in the field or burned [13] They present high contents of interesting compounds such as polyphenols, proteins, and stilbenes [14]. Stilbenes’ potential anti-inflammatory activity is based on the inhibition of enzymes that activate cytokines [30] These results have important cardioprotective applications, which have been suggested in the so-called “French paradox,” which explains the low incidence of coronary heart disease among French people consuming a diet rich in saturated fats but with a high consumption of wine (a source of stilbenes) [31,32]. This research aimed to gain more in-depth knowledge of these compounds and their presence in vineyard by-products, but has proposed numerous applications for extracts that could contribute to sustainability in viticulture since grapevine canes are currently a waste product without any added-value
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