Resveratrol's Potential in the Adjunctive Management of Cardiovascular Disease, Obesity, Diabetes, Alzheimer Disease, and Cancer.

Resveratrol is a naturally occurring polyphenol that can be found in several human dietary sources, including red wine; many plants, especially grapes, berries, and nuts; and nutritional supplements. Findings from numerous preclinical experiments and clinical trials in humans suggest that resveratrol may play an important role in managing or preventing a variety of diseases. Some of the health benefits include cardioprotective effects; chemopreventive properties; metabolic changes, such as improved glycemic control; protection from diabetic consequences; and synergistic therapeutic effects when administered with other treatment modalities. Resveratrol has been found to be safe and reasonably well tolerated in humans, with mild to moderate gastrointestinal side effects. This review provides a summary of recent preclinical experiments and clinical trials pertaining to the effects of resveratrol on cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer disease, and cancer. It also identifies suggested mechanisms by which resveratrol functions and presents issues surrounding resveratrol concentrations in vitro vs plasma levels reported in vivo.