Resveratrol

Description

Resveratrol is a phenolic antioxidant found mainly in red wine and purple grape juice. Mulberries and peanuts also contain resveratrol, but in lesser amounts.

Recent studies have shown that resveratrol may aid in the prevention of atherosclerosis, cancer, and high cholesterol.

Method of Action

Resveratrol acts in several ways to prevent development of atherosclerosis. As an antioxidant, it prevents oxidation of LDL cholesterol that often leads to accumulation on artery walls. It also increases levels of HDL cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol that stabilizes LDL cholesterol. Resveratrol also helps to dilate blood vessels and decrease platelet aggregation which leads to clotting. As a phytoestrogen, resveratrol may help to prevent the increased risk for heart disease that arrives with menopause.

Resveratrol has been shown to induce apoptosis in leukemia cancer cell lines, through inhibiting growth in the S phase of division. It also promotes hydroxylation of free radicals, thereby reducing oxidative stress that may lead to DNA damage and cancer.

Therapeutic Approaches

Resveratrol may be useful for the following conditions:
Atherosclerosis
High total cholesterol
Low HDL cholesterol         
Cancer (risk reduction only)

A typical dosage of resveratrol is 200-600 mcg/day (may be divided and taken twice daily). Food sources include red wine (640 mcg/glass) and peanuts (73 mcg/handful).

Toxicity Factors

Estrogenic effects of resveratrol may increase risk for hormone-related disorders in women, like breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and endometriosis. Women at high risk for these disorders should exercise caution before using resveratrol in large amounts.

Abstracts

References

Bastianetto S, Zheng WH, Quirion R: Neuroprotective abilities of resveratrol and other red wine constituents against nitric oxide-related toxicity in cultured hippocampal neurons, Br J Pharmacol 2000 Oct;131(4):711-20

Bernhard D, et al: Resveratrol causes arrest in the S-phase prior to fas-independent apoptosis in CEM-C7H2 acute leukemia cells, Cell Death Differ 2000 Sep;7(9):834-42

Bertelli AA, et al. "Antiplatelet activity of synthetic and natural resveratrol in red wine." Int J Tissue React, 1995; 17(1): 1-3.

Bertelli AA, et al. "Antiplatelet activity of cis-resveratrol." Drugs Exp Clin Res, 1996; 22(2): 61-63.

Bertelli A, et al. "Plasma and tissue resveratrol concentrations and pharmacological activity." Drugs Exp Clin Res, 1998; 24(3): 133-38.

Burkitt MJ, Duncan J: Effects of trans-resveratrol on copper-dependent hydroxyl-radical formation and DNA damage: evidence for hydroxyl-radical scavenging and a novel, glutathione-sparing mechanism of action, Arch Biochem Biophys 2000 Sep 15;381(2):253-63

Carbo N, et al. Resveratrol, a natural product present in wine, decreases tumour growth in a rat tumour model. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 1999;254(3):739-743.

Chen CK, Pace-Asciak CR. "Vasorelaxing activity of resveratrol and quercetin in isolated rat aorta." Gen Pharmacol, 1996; 27(2): 363-66.

Gehm BD, et al. "Resveratrol, a polyphenolic compound found in grapes and wine, is an agonist for the estrogen receptor." Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1997; 94(25): 14138-4143.

Huang C, et al. "Resveratrol suppresses cell transformation and induces apoptosis through a p53-dependent pathway." Carcinogenesis, 1999; 20(2): 237-42.

Jang M, et al. "Cancer chemopreventive activity of resveratrol, a natural product derived from grapes." Science, 1997; 275(5297): 218-20.

Kopp P. Resveratrol, a phytoestrogen found in red wine. A possible explanation for the conundrum of the 'French paradox'? Eur J Endocrinol. 1998;138:619-620.

Pace-Asciak CR, et al. "The red wine phenolics trans-resveratrol and quercetin block human platelet aggregation and eicosanoid synthesis: implications for protection against coronary heart disease." Clin Chim Acta, 1995; 235(2): 207-19.

Pace-Asciak CR, Rounova O, Hahn SE, Diamandis P, et al. Wines and grape juices as modulators of platelet aggregation in healthy human subjects. Clin Chim Acta, 1996;246(1-2):163-182.

Martindale W. Martindale the Extra Pharmacopoeia. Pharmaceutical Press, 1999.

Resveratrol Website: URL: www.resveratrol.com/lib7.html

Rotondo S, Rajtar G, Manarini S, et al. Effect of trans-resveratrol, a natural polyphenolic compound, on human polymorphonuclear leukocyte function. Br J Pharmacol. 1998;123:1691-1699.