(HuffingtonPost) - Hopes of developing anti-ageing drugs have been given a boost by new research involving an ingredient in red wine. Previous studies have shown that the plant compound resveratrol improves the health of mice fed a high-fat diet and increases their lifespan. Scientists have now confirmed how this occurs. Resveratrol enhances the activity of energy-generating powerplants in cells via a gene called SIRT1, which is also linked to longevity.