ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the antiinflammatory activity of resveratrol and its underlying mechanisms. The antiinflammatory activity of resveratrol has been associated with its potential efficacy in preventing various human ailments including chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disorders, and cancer. Dysregulation of immune and inflammatory responses, including excessive production of cytokines and acute phase proteins, has been associated with insulin resistance, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Multiple lines of laboratory studies suggest that resveratrol, one of the dietary components, may act as a potent antiinflammatory agent. Interest in searching for antiinflammatory substances from edible sources identified a wide variety of dietary phytochemicals including resveratrol as potent antiinflammatory agents. Although substantial progress in exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying the antiinflammatory activity of resveratrol in different experimental systems has been made, it remains a subject of future research how resveratrol targets different components of intracellular signaling cascades in a coordinated fashion.
