Red wine pill on the way

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LONDON, England (Reuters) -- Italian scientists are working on a pill that replicates all the health benefits of drinking a glass of red wine.

The research, by scientists at the Pavese Pharma Biochemical Institute in Pavia, Italy, could allow teetotallers to enjoy the health advantages of wine, long seen as beneficial for the heart in moderate consumption.

The pill will include a mixture of sugar, amino acids, polyphenols and other healthy ingredients in wine, but none of the alcohol.

Polyphenols are antioxidants that destroy harmful substances called free radicals that can cause cancer.

They may also help to keep arteries clear and reduce heart disease.

"Freeze-drying and compacting the mix leaves a tablet with all the benefits of a glass of wine, say the inventors," New Scientist magazine reported Wednesday.

Researchers have also shown that people who drink a glass of wine a day have a lower risk of dementia than individuals who do not drink.

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