A study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry has found that the compound found in red wine known as resveratrol has the ability to neutralize the toxic effects of proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers tested the effects of resveratrol on peptides that are associated with the plaque that forms in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.

"We’ve shown how resveratrol has very interesting selectivity to target and neutralize a select set of toxic peptide isoforms," said study author professor Peter Tessier of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. "Because resveratrol picks out the clumps of peptides that are bad and leaves alone the ones that are benign, it helps us to think about the structural differences between the peptide isoforms."

Tessier said that the research provides a step toward understanding the large-scale death of brain cells seen in certain neurodegenerative diseases.

Alzheimer’s disease currently impacts more than 5 million Americans.

The disease is often treated by both traditional drugs, vitamins and minerals. One study found that high doses of vitamin E supplements could help alleviate Alzheimer’s symptoms.

Resveratrol is one of the active, non-alcholic ingredients in red wine. It comes from the pulp of grapes used to make wine and has some of the highest levels of antioxidants found in nature.

Among its believed health benefits are increasing heart health, fighting cancer and delaying the aging process.