ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the possible mechanisms of resveratrol-mediated cardioprotection. Resveratrol was found to protect kidney, heart, and brain from ischemia-reperfusion injury. The cardioprotective mechanism of resveratrol included its role as an intracellular antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent and the involvement of nitric oxide (NO). Resveratrol, a polyphenolic antioxidant, possesses a spectrum of physiological activities including its ability to protect tissues such as brain, kidney, and heart from ischemic injury, and its role as a cancer chemoprotective agent. Most of the in vivo antioxidant properties of resveratrol are believed to be achieved through its ability to upregulate NO. Resveratrol has been recognized as a phytoestrogen based on its structural similarities to diethylstilbestrol. Resveratrol can bind to estrogen receptors thereby activating transcription of estrogen-responsive reporter genes transfected into cells. In contrast, resveratrol was found to possess estrogenic properties in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats. While resveratrol protects brain, kidney, and heart cells, it preferentially kills cancer cells.
