Resveratrol and its antioxidant and antimicrobial effectiveness

Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene) was prepared by total chemical synthesis. Water solubility, solubility of resveratrol in water/ethanol mixture (0-40% v/v) at temperatures of 0-60degreesC, antioxidation effect of resveratrol, tested in a mixture of sunflower oil-rapeseed oil, or in margarine emulsion, and antimicrobial activity of resveratrol against yeasts and moulds were tested. Water solubility of resveratrol was low and it rose as ethanol concentration and temperature increased. The solubility of resveratrol was 40 mg 1(-1) (20degreesC) when the ethanol concentration achieved 10% v/v. Resveratrol behaved as a slight antioxidant against oxidation of triacylglycerols of sunflower and rapeseed oils. Resveratrol did not achieve the effectiveness of BHT or ascorbylpalmitate. When tested in margarine emulsion w/o, resveratrol did not achieve the effectiveness of ascorbic acid. In vitro, resveratrol behaved as an antimicrobial against filamentous fungi Penicillium expansum and Aspergillus niger. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.