Red wine could form the basis of a cancer prevention drug, researchers say.

The drug, based on a natural compound found in the drink, is being tested at the University of Leicester.

Resveratrol is a natural agent found in grapes, peanuts and several berries.

It is present in fruit juice from these berries and in wine.

Resveratrol may be of value in preventing cancer

Professor Will Steward, of the University of Leicester

It has been suggested it could be the reason why countries in southern Europe, where a lot of red wine is drunk, have a low incidence of cardiovascular disease.

Research has already shown that resveratrol has anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.

The Leicester team, has been awarded �1m to carry out the research along with the University of Michigan by the US National Cancer Institute (NCI).

It is the first time that a group outside America has been funded by the NCI for the early clinical development of a drug that may prevent cancer.

Curry

Tests on healthy volunteers by the university's department of oncology, based at the Leicester Royal Infirmary, will begin next year.

Professor Will Steward, of the University of Leicester, said: "Since resveratrol may be of value in preventing cancer, the NCI are funding early clinical studies of pure resveratrol capsules in healthy volunteers and patients with early cancer.

"This award is a major advance and we hope it will enable us to take resveratrol forward to become a valuable agent to reduce the number of people who develop cancer in the future."

The group has previously investigated the cancer-fighting properties of curcumin, which is used in curries.

Professor Dean Brenner, the lead investigator in the USA, said: "The award of this competitive grant by the US NCI is a major achievement.

"In the USA, such awards are given only to teams who are able to successfully integrate their laboratory research scientists with clinical investigators, and awards made to teams outside the US are rare."