The Role of Resveratrol in Cancer Therapy

Abstract

Natural product compounds have recently attracted significant attention from the scientific community for their potent effects against inflammation-driven diseases, including cancer. A significant amount of research, including preclinical, clinical, and epidemiological studies, has indicated that dietary consumption of polyphenols, found at high levels in cereals, pulses, vegetables, and fruits, may prevent the evolution of an array of diseases, including cancer. Cancer development is a carefully orchestrated progression where normal cells acquires mutations in their genetic makeup, which cause the cells to continuously grow, colonize, and metastasize to other organs such as the liver, lungs, colon, and brain. Compounds that modulate these oncogenic processes can be considered as potential anti-cancer agents that may ultimately make it to clinical application. Resveratrol, a natural stilbene and a non-flavonoid polyphenol, is a phytoestrogen that possesses anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, and anti-cancer properties. It has been reported that resveratrol can reverse multidrug resistance in cancer cells, and, when used in combination with clinically used drugs, it can sensitize cancer cells to standard chemotherapeutic agents. Several novel analogs of resveratrol have been developed with improved anti-cancer activity, bioavailability, and pharmacokinetic profile. The current focus of this review is resveratrol’s in vivo and in vitro effects in a variety of cancers, and intracellular molecular targets modulated by this polyphenol. This is also accompanied by a comprehensive update of the various clinical trials that have demonstrated it to be a promising therapeutic and chemopreventive agent.

Resveratrol in Cancer Patients: From Bench to Bedside

“…Especially, its role in inducing growth inhibition, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis suggested the possibility to use resveratrol to prevent cancer ( Figure 6) [139,140]. A number of studies highlighted that this cell-growth modulating effect is both dose-and time-dependent [141,142]. However, the exact mechanism of these actions is not fully understood [136,142].…”

Resveratrol promotes sensitization to Doxorubicin by inhibiting epithelial‐mesenchymal transition and modulating SIRT1/β‐catenin signaling pathway in breast cancer

“…RES is of key importance in aging, neurological dysfunction, angiocardiopathy, and inflammation diseases. It was also recognized to have antitumor and chemoprevent activity in connection with the lung, gastric, prostate, and breast cancer . Furthermore, RES was reported to have synergistic effect with DOX in gastric cancer cells and reverse multidrug resistance in acute myeloid cells .…”

Resveratrol Sensitizes Lung Cancer Cell to TRAIL by p53 Independent and Suppression of Akt/NF-κB Signaling

“…Resveratrol also can reverse multidrug resistance when used in combination with clinically used drugs. Multiple studies found both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways are involved in resveratrol induced apoptosis [50,51]. TRAIL sensitizes a wide variety of cancer cells or transformed cells by apoptosis; however, TRAIL resistance in different cancer cells is a growing concern for cancer chemotherapies [8,52,53].…”