Nutritional prevention by dietary resveratrol as chemopreventive agent: application to colorectal cancers

Resveratrol (3,4',5 tri-hydroxystilbene) is a plant phytoalexin produced in massive amount in grapevine skin in response to stress such as UV, phytosanitary treatment, and mostly following infection by Bothrytis cinerea. In this later case, the production of resveratrol inhibits the proliferation of the pathogen, thereby acting as a natural antifungal. Many experimental studies have reported interesting properties of trans-resveratrol as a preventive agent against important pathologies i.e. vascular diseases, cancers, viral infection or neurodegenerative processes. In addition, several epidemiological studies indicated that resveratrol would be the main microcomponent of wine leading health benefits such as prevention of vaso-coronary diseases and cancer (so called the "French paradox"). Resveratrol prevents (or delays) carcinogenesis by inhibiting the three phases of cancer process: initiation, promotion, progression and invasion phases. It also exhibits pro-apoptic properties especially towards colorectal cancers. Importantly, resveratrol is not toxic in animal models even at high dosage. Moreover, plasmatic concentrations of resveratrol would to be sufficient for anti-invasive activity. The enterohepatic blood recirculation contributes to a delayed elimination of the molecule from the body which can also show a prolonged effect enhanced by its binding to plasmatic proteins. Interestingly resveratrol can sensitize to low doses of cytotoxic drugs and so provide new approaches to enhance the efficacy of anticancer therapy in human cancers