Biological activities of resveratrol and its analogs

Resveratrol (3,4',5-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene), a phytoalexin found in grape skins, peanuts, and red wine, has been reported to exhibit a wide grange of biological and pharmacological properties. It has been speculated that dietary resveratrol may act as an antioxidant, promote nitric oxide production, inhibit platelet aggregation and increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, thereby serving as a cardioprotective agent. Recently, resveratrol was shown to function as a cancer chemopreventive agent, and there has been a great deal of experimental effort directed toward defining this effect. In addition, resveratrol exhibits antiinflammatory, neuroprotective-and antiviral properties. This review summarizes the recent advances that have provided new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the promising properties of resveratrol, including cyclooxygenase, nitric oxide synthase and cytochrome P450 inhibition, as well as cell cycle effects, apoptosis modulation and hormonal activity.