Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Resveratrol: Mechanistic Insights

Overview

Journal Int J Mol Sci

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Biochemistry
Chemistry
Molecular Biology

Date 2018 Jun 22

PMID 29925765

Citations 92

Authors

Diego de Sa Coutinho

Maria Talita Pacheco

Rudimar Luiz Frozza

Andressa Bernardi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Inflammation is the principal response invoked by the body to address injuries. Despite inflammation constituting a crucial component of tissue repair, it is well known that unchecked or chronic inflammation becomes deleterious, leading to progressive tissue damage. Studies over the past years focused on foods rich in polyphenols with anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties, since inflammation was recognized to play a central role in several diseases. In this review, we discuss the beneficial effects of resveratrol, the most widely investigated polyphenol, on cancer and neurodegenerative, respiratory, metabolic, and cardiovascular diseases. We highlight how resveratrol, despite its unfavorable pharmacokinetics, can modulate the inflammatory pathways underlying those diseases, and we identify future opportunities for the evaluation of its clinical feasibility.

Citing Articles

The Modulatory Role of Bioactive Compounds in Functional Foods on Inflammation and Metabolic Pathways in Chronic Diseases.

Ma Z, Fu C, Lee Y Foods. 2025; 14(5).

PMID: 40077524 PMC: 11899172. DOI: 10.3390/foods14050821.

Crosstalk Between Antioxidants and Adipogenesis: Mechanistic Pathways and Their Roles in Metabolic Health.

Fu M, Yoon K, Ha J, Kang I, Choe W Antioxidants (Basel). 2025; 14(2).

PMID: 40002389 PMC: 11852089. DOI: 10.3390/antiox14020203.

Resveratrol modulates phosphorylation of ERK and AKT in murine cementoblasts during in vitro orthodontic compression.

Negm S, Wolf M, Craveiro R, Schurgers L, Jankowski J, Schneider R BMC Oral Health. 2025; 25(1):226.

PMID: 39939842 PMC: 11823246. DOI: 10.1186/s12903-025-05591-5.

Gedunin Mitigates -Induced Skin Inflammation by Inhibiting the NF-κB Pathway.

Sim J, Heo Y, Shin J, Kim S, Seo S Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2025; 18(1).

PMID: 39861132 PMC: 11768371. DOI: 10.3390/ph18010071.

Khayal E, Elhadidy M, Alnasser S, Morsy M, Farag A, El-Nagdy S Toxicol Rep. 2025; 14():101882.

PMID: 39850515 PMC: 11755029. DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2024.101882.

References

Carter L, DOrazio J, Pearson K . Resveratrol and cancer: focus on in vivo evidence. Endocr Relat Cancer. 2014; 21(3):R209-25. PMC: 4013237. DOI: 10.1530/ERC-13-0171. View

Howitz K, Bitterman K, Cohen H, Lamming D, Lavu S, Wood J . Small molecule activators of sirtuins extend Saccharomyces cerevisiae lifespan. Nature. 2003; 425(6954):191-6. DOI: 10.1038/nature01960. View

Heneka M, Carson M, El Khoury J, Landreth G, Brosseron F, Feinstein D . Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease. Lancet Neurol. 2015; 14(4):388-405. PMC: 5909703. DOI: 10.1016/S1474-4422(15)70016-5. View

Farris P . Innovative cosmeceuticals: sirtuin activators and anti-glycation compounds. Semin Cutan Med Surg. 2011; 30(3):163-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.sder.2011.05.004. View

Chedea V, Vicas S, Sticozzi C, Pessina F, Frosini M, Maioli E . Resveratrol: from diet to topical usage. Food Funct. 2017; 8(11):3879-3892. DOI: 10.1039/c7fo01086a. View

Jiang L, Zhang L, Kang K, Fei D, Gong R, Cao Y . Resveratrol ameliorates LPS-induced acute lung injury via NLRP3 inflammasome modulation. Biomed Pharmacother. 2016; 84:130-138. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2016.09.020. View

Bonnefont-Rousselot D . Resveratrol and Cardiovascular Diseases. Nutrients. 2016; 8(5). PMC: 4882663. DOI: 10.3390/nu8050250. View

Yang X, Xu S, Qian Y, Xiao Q . Resveratrol regulates microglia M1/M2 polarization via PGC-1α in conditions of neuroinflammatory injury. Brain Behav Immun. 2017; 64:162-172. DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2017.03.003. View

Bhatt J, Thomas S, Nanjan M . Resveratrol supplementation improves glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nutr Res. 2012; 32(7):537-41. DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2012.06.003. View

10.

Esser N, Legrand-Poels S, Piette J, Scheen A, Paquot N . Inflammation as a link between obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2014; 105(2):141-50. DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2014.04.006. View

11.

Franceschi C, Campisi J . Chronic inflammation (inflammaging) and its potential contribution to age-associated diseases. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2014; 69 Suppl 1:S4-9. DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glu057. View

12.

Cottart C, Nivet-Antoine V, Laguillier-Morizot C, Beaudeux J . Resveratrol bioavailability and toxicity in humans. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2009; 54(1):7-16. DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.200900437. View

13.

Knobloch J, Sibbing B, Jungck D, Lin Y, Urban K, Stoelben E . Resveratrol impairs the release of steroid-resistant inflammatory cytokines from human airway smooth muscle cells in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2010; 335(3):788-98. DOI: 10.1124/jpet.110.166843. View

14.

Singh A, Ahmad I, Ahmad S, Iqbal Z, Ahmad F . A novel monolithic controlled delivery system of resveratrol for enhanced hepatoprotection: nanoformulation development, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Drug Dev Ind Pharm. 2016; 42(9):1524-36. DOI: 10.3109/03639045.2016.1151032. View

15.

Lin H, Tang H, Keating T, Wu Y, Shih A, Hammond D . Resveratrol is pro-apoptotic and thyroid hormone is anti-apoptotic in glioma cells: both actions are integrin and ERK mediated. Carcinogenesis. 2007; 29(1):62-9. DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgm239. View

16.

Nakamura K, Smyth M . Targeting cancer-related inflammation in the era of immunotherapy. Immunol Cell Biol. 2016; 95(4):325-332. DOI: 10.1038/icb.2016.126. View

17.

Liu H, Ren J, Chen H, Huang Y, Li H, Zhang Z . Resveratrol protects against cigarette smoke-induced oxidative damage and pulmonary inflammation. J Biochem Mol Toxicol. 2014; 28(10):465-71. DOI: 10.1002/jbt.21586. View

18.

Park E, Lim Y, Hong J, Yoo H, Lee C, Pyo M . Pterostilbene, a natural dimethylated analog of resveratrol, inhibits rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation by blocking Akt-dependent pathway. Vascul Pharmacol. 2010; 53(1-2):61-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.vph.2010.04.001. View

19.

Dong W, Wang X, Bi S, Pan Z, Liu S, Yu H . Inhibitory effects of resveratrol on foam cell formation are mediated through monocyte chemotactic protein-1 and lipid metabolism-related proteins. Int J Mol Med. 2014; 33(5):1161-8. DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2014.1680. View

20.

Timmers S, Hesselink M, Schrauwen P . Therapeutic potential of resveratrol in obesity and type 2 diabetes: new avenues for health benefits?. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2013; 1290:83-9. DOI: 10.1111/nyas.12185. View