Resveratrol, an organic polyphenol, occurs in foods like red wine, grapes, peanuts, cranberries and blueberries. Cell culture experiments have uncovered potential therapeutic benefits of resveratrol such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity as well as inhibition of platelet aggregation. In addition, experiments with cancer and other cell lines have indicated that resveratrol can arrest cell growth and division and can bring about apoptosis, a medical term meaning cell death.
Cancer Cell Lines
In the May 2006 issue of "Molecular Cancer Therapeutics," scientists reported that resveratrol treatment affected apoptosis of human prostate cancer cells but did not harm normal human prostate cells. The researchers stated that their results indicate that resveratrol has potential for development as a treatment for prostate cancer. In an article that appeared in the March 15, 2007, issue of "Blood," researchers disclosed that resveratrol induced apoptosis in human multiple myeloma cell lines. Multiple myeloma is a cancer that involves abnormal proliferation of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell.
Platelets
Platelets are colorless bodies that circulate in the blood. They originate in bone marrow, and are an important part of the blood clotting process. A scientific study published in the August 1, 2009, issue of "Cardiovascular Research" showed for the first time that resveratrol can effect apoptosis in human platelets. The researchers state that this finding means that resveratrol may have application as a therapeutic agent in patients with dangerous blood clots.
Retinal Nerve Cells
People with diabetes often experience vision problems stemming in part from diabetes-related damage to nerve cells inside the eye. In a study detailed in the April 27, 2010, issue of "Diabetes," researchers use diabetic mice to examine the effects of resveratrol on apoptosis of retinal nerve cells. They found that resveratrol completely inhibited apoptosis, and suggested that it may have potential use as a treatment for the prevention of vision problems in people with diabetes.
Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells
The cells that make up the smooth muscle found in the walls of blood vessels are called vascular smooth muscle cells. Abnormal vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation is a factor in the occurrence of cardiovascular disease. In an article in the December 2005 issue of "The Journal of Vascular Surgery," the authors demonstrated that resveratrol brought about apoptosis of bovine smooth muscle cells in the aorta and inhibited their proliferation. This finding helps to explain how resveratrol lowers the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
References
- Oregon State University: Micronutrient Information Center: Resveratrol
- "Molecular Cancer Therapeutics"; Resveratrol-Caused Apoptosis of Human Prostate Carcinoma LNCaP Cells Is Mediated Via Modulation of Phosphatidylinositol 3'-Kinase/Akt Pathway and Bcl-2 Family Proteins; Nihal Ahmad, et al.; May 2006
- "Blood"; Resveratrol Inhibits Proliferation, Induces Apoptosis, and Overcomes Chemoresistance Through Down Regulation of STAT3 and Nuclear Factor-kB-Regulated Antiapoptotic and Cell Survival Gene Products in Human Multiple Myeloma Cells; Bharat B. Aggarwal, et al.; March 2007
- "Cardiovascular Research"; Mechanisms of Resveratrol-Induced Platelet Apoptosis; Joen R. Sheu, et al.; August 2009
- "Diabetes"; Resveratrol Inhibits Neuronal Apoptosis and Elevated Ca2+/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II Activity in Diabetic Mouse Retina; Wan-Sung Choi, et al.; April 2010
- "Journal of Vascular Surgery"; Resveratrol Inhibits Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation and Induces Apoptosis; Bauer E. Sumpio, et al.; December 2005
Member Comments