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Review
. 2020 Jan 19;10(1):161.
doi: 10.3390/biom10010161.

The Plant-Derived Compound Resveratrol in Brain Cancer: A Review

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Review

The Plant-Derived Compound Resveratrol in Brain Cancer: A Review

Terezia Kiskova et al. Biomolecules. .

Abstract

Despite intensive research, malignant brain tumors are among the most difficult to treat due to high resistance to conventional therapeutic approaches. High-grade malignant gliomas, including glioblastoma and anaplastic astrocytoma, are among the most devastating and rapidly growing cancers. Despite the ability of standard treatment agents to achieve therapeutic concentrations in the brain, malignant gliomas are often resistant to alkylating agents. Resveratrol is a plant polyphenol occurring in nuts, berries, grapes, and red wine. Resveratrol crosses the blood‒brain barrier and may influence the central nervous system. Moreover, it influences the enzyme isocitrate dehydrogenase and, more importantly, the resistance to standard treatment via various mechanisms, such as O6-methylguanine methyltransferase. This review summarizes the anticancer effects of resveratrol in various types of brain cancer. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have presented promising results; however, further clinical research is necessary to prove the therapeutic efficacy of resveratrol in brain cancer treatment.

Keywords: brain cancer; drug resistance; glioblastoma; resveratrol.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Chemical formula of trans (A) and cis (B) resveratrol (ACD/ChemSketch®).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Resveratrol (RES) crosses the blood‒brain barrier via tight junctions [104]. In the brain, RES inhibits NF-κB in neurons, astrocytes, and microglia. In brain cancer cells, RES exerts proapoptotic activities via influencing the cell cycle. RES induces oxidative stress, leading to autophagy. Moreover, RES influences cancer cells via various signaling mechanisms, including the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, Wnt, or STAT3.

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