Resveratrol and Health: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

This volume examines the phytoalexin resveratrol and the
ongoing studies about its effects on lifespan and health.
Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene), a
phytoalexin produced naturally by several plants when
under attack by pathogens such as bacteria or fungi,
significantly extends the lifespan of the yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Caenorhabditis elegans and
the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Resveratrol is
currently a topic of numerous animal and human studies
into its effects.
The effects of resveratrol on the lifespan of many model
organisms remain controversial. Anti-cancer,
anti-inflammatory, blood-sugar-lowering, and other
beneficial cardiovascular effects of resveratrol have been
reported in experiments with mouse and rat model
systems. However, most of these results have yet to be
replicated in humans. Resveratrol is found in the skin of
red grapes and is a constituent of red wine. Resveratrol
has also been produced by chemical synthesis or by
biotechnological synthesis and is sold as a nutritional
supplement derived primarily from Japanese knotweed.