- from the bottle to the bedside:

In addition to its wide-ranging biological effects, reseveratrol prevents tumor formation in murine models of carcinogenesis. We are studying the anti-tumor activity of this compound in vitro and in established neoplasia in mice, as a means to evaluate the chemotherapeutic potential of this naturally occurring compound. In this regard, we demonstrated that the cancer preventive activity of resveratrol could be attributed to its ability to trigger apoptosis in human leukemia and breast carcinoma cells. We also extrapolated these in vitro findings in a murine model of carcinogensis, and demonstrated in vivo induction of apoptosis in mouse skin papillomas. These findings have significantly enhanced our understanding of the mechanism of action of this chemopreventive agent, and more importantly highlight the great potential of this polyphenolic compound for use as a chemotherapeutic drug.