Resveratrol

CAS.No.: 501-36-0

Usage: Life extension          Antidiabetic Cardioprotective effects      anti-cancer

Antiviral

Resveratrol  (3,5,4'-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) is a naturally occurring phytoalexin produced by some higher plants in response to injury or fungal infection.  Resveratrol is found in the skin of red grapes and in other fruits. Resveratrol has also been produced by chemical synthesis and by biotechnological synthesis (metabolic engineered microorganisms) and is sold as a nutritional supplement derived primarily from Japanese knotweed.

Activity

The effects of resveratrol are currently a topic of numerous animal and human studies. Its effects on the lifespan of many model organisms remain controversial, with uncertain effects in fruit flies, nematode worms, and short-lived fish. In mouse and rat experiments, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, blood sugar-lowering and other beneficial cardiovascular effects of resveratrol have been reported.

Life extension

In 2006, Italian scientists obtained the first positive result of resveratrol supplementation in a vertebrate. Using a short-lived fish, Nothobranchius furzeri, with a median life span of nine weeks, they found a maximal dose of resveratrol increased the median lifespan by 56%. Compared with the control fish at nine weeks, that is by the end of control fish's life, the fish supplemented with resveratrol showed significantly higher swimming activity and better learning to avoid an unpleasant stimulus. The authors noted a slight increase of mortality in young fish caused by resveratrol, and hypothesized that its weak toxic action stimulated the defense mechanisms and resulted in the life span extension.

Cancer prevention The strongest evidence of anticancer action of resveratrol exists for tumors it can contact directly, such as skin and gastrointestinal tract tumors. For other cancers, the evidence is uncertain, even if massive doses of resveratrol are used. Thus, resveratrol (1 mg/kg orally) reduced the number and size of the esophageal tumors in rats treated with a carcinogen; and in several studies, small doses (0.02–8 mg/kg) of resveratrol, given prophylactically, reduced or prevented the development of intestinal and colon tumors in rats given different carcinogens. Cardioprotective effects

Moderate drinking of red wine has long been known to reduce the risk of heart disease. This is best known as “the French paradox”.

Studies suggest resveratrol in red wine may play an important role in this phenomenon. It achieves the effects by the following functions:

(1) Inhibition of vascular cell adhesion molecule expression;

(2) Inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation;

(3) Stimulation of endolethelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) Activity;

(4) Inhibition of platelet aggregation;

(5) Inhibition of LDL per oxidation;

The cardioprotective effects of resveratrol are also theorized to be a form of preconditioning—the best method of cardioprotection, rather than direct therapy.

Antidiabetic effects

Studies have shown resveratrol possesses hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects in both streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes rats and STZ-nicotinamide-induced diabetes rats. Resveratrol ameliorates common diabetes symptoms, such as polyphagia, polydipsia, and body weight loss.[68] Other diabetic animal model studies by different researchers have also demonstrated the antidiabetic effects of resveratrol.[32][23][69][70][71][72][73]

In human clinical trials, resveratrol has lowered blood sugar levels in both Phase Ib and Phase IIa, conducted by Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Other applications

Neuroprotective effects

Anti-inflammatory effects

Effect on testosterone levels

Adverse effects and unknowns

Studies have found resveratrol intake is inversely associated with breast cancer risk, and acts to slow the progression of breast cancer that has been transplanted into mice. Some studies suggest resveratrol slows the development of blood vessels, which suppresses tumors, but also slows healing. Citing the evidence that resveratrol is estrogen antagonistic, some retailers of resveratrol advise that the compound may interfere with oral contraceptives and that women who are pregnant or intending to become pregnant should not use the product, while others advise that resveratrol should not be taken by children or young adults under 18, as no studies have shown how it affects their natural development. A small study found a single dose of up to 5 g of trans-resveratrol caused no serious adverse effects in healthy volunteers.

Occurrences In plants

Resveratrol was originally isolated by Takaoka from the roots of hellebore, In grape.

In foods

Red wine contains between 0.2 and 5.8 mg/L, while white wine has much less, muscadine grapes, peanuts Before sprouting it was in the range of 2.3 to 4.5 μg/g, and after sprouting in the range of 11.7 to 25.7 μg/g depending upon peanut cultivar. Cocoa powder, baking chocolate and dark chocolate also have low levels of resveratrol in normal consumption quantities (0.35 to 1.85 mg/kg).

where will be Resveratrol use to ?• Anti-cancer
• Effect on cardiovascular system
• Antibacterial and antifungal
• Nourish and protect liver
• Antioxidant and quench free-radicals
• Impact on the metabolism of osseous issue