Biomaterials releasing bactericides have currently become tools for thwarting medical device-associated
infections. The ideal anti-infective
biomaterial must counteract
infection while safeguarding eukaryotic cell integrity. Red wine is a widely consumed beverage to which many biological properties are ascribed, including protective effects against oral
infections and related bone (
osteoarthritis,
osteomyelitis, periprosthetic joint
infections) and
cardiovascular diseases. In this study, fifteen red wine samples derived from grapes native to the Oltrepò Pavese region (Italy), obtained from the winemaking processes of "Bonarda dell'Oltrepò Pavese" red wine, were analyzed alongside three samples obtained from marc pressing. Total
polyphenol and monomeric
anthocyanin contents were determined and metabolite profiling was conducted by means of a chromatographic analysis. Antibacterial activity of wine samples was evaluated against Streptococcus mutans, responsible for
dental caries, Streptococcus salivarius, and Streptococcus pyogenes, two oral bacterial pathogens. Results highlighted the winemaking stages in which samples exhibit the highest content of
polyphenols and the greatest antibacterial activity. Considering the global need for new weapons against
bacterial infections and alternatives to conventional
antibiotics, as well as the favorable bioactivities of
polyphenols, results point to red wine as a source of antibacterial substances for developing new anti-infective
biomaterials and coatings for biomedical devices.