Scientists have revealed how red wine may prevent cancer.

An antioxidant, called resveratrol, in the tipple stops the formation of protein clumps that are found in 50 per cent of tumours, a Brazilian study found.

It is unclear how much red wine people need to drink to reap the benefits of resveratrol, which is also found in cranberries, blueberries and peanuts.

Researchers hope the findings will lead to the development of a drug that prevents such protein clusters.

One in two people born after 1960 in the UK will develop cancer at some point in their lives. Some forms of the disease are rarer than others, with bladder cancer affecting one in 27 men and breast cancer one in 10 women in the US.

The scientists, from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, analysed resveratrol's effect on the protein p53.

p53 normally suppresses tumours by killing off cancerous cells, however, when mutated, the protein forms clumps that drive the condition.

The researchers exposed breast-cancer cells both with normal p53 and mutated versions to resveratrol in the lab.

Breast-cancer cells were also implanted into mice who were given resveratrol.

Antioxidant prevents protein clumps that cause tumours

Results suggest resveratrol prevents p53 clumping in both the lab and rodents.

The antioxidant also stops breast-cancer cells multiplying and spreading.

Further studies will assess which molecules in resveratrol cause its anti-cancer effects.

The findings were published in the journal Oncotarget.

Wine could cure bad breath

This comes after research released last February suggested drinking wine may protect teeth by destroying bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease.

Despite many dentists warning booze's acidic content can damage teeth, a study suggests antioxidants in wine significantly prevent bacteria that cause plaque, cavities and periodontal disease from sticking to gums.

When these bacteria enter the bloodstream, they can trigger a chain reaction that has been linked to heart disease and cancer.

The latest discovery could lead to the development of 'wine-inspired' toothpastes and mouthwashes that contain such antioxidants, according to the researchers.

Study author Dr Victoria Moreno-Arribas, from the Spanish National Research Council, Madrid, said: 'Oral cells normally constitute a physical barrier that prevents infections.

'But bacterial adhesion to host tissues constitutes a key step in the infectious process.'

Results further suggest antioxidants in red wine are more effective than commercially-available grape-seed and red-wine extracts at preventing plaque-causing bacteria from sticking to lab-grown cells in modeled gum tissue.

When digested in the mouth, these antioxidants are thought to produce molecules that may benefit oral health.

Combining the antioxidants with the oral probiotic Streptococcus dentisani further boosts dental health.

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