Resveratrol is a stilbenoid, a type of natural phenol or polyphenol and a phytoalexin produced by several plants in response to injury or when the plant is under attack by pathogens, such as bacteria or fungi. Sources of resveratrol in food include the sk + some more technical info; chemically it is 3,5,4-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene, formula C14H12O3, molar mass 228.24 g/mol, and exists predominantly as the trans isomer which is more stable and biologically characterized than the cis isomer; it is poorly soluble in water but dissolves in polar organic solvents such as ethanol, methanol and DMSO, shows light and heat sensitivity with trans to cis isomerization under UV, and is commonly used in research, nutraceuticals and topical formulations where standardized trans-resveratrol or extract fractions are required for consistent analytical and formulation performance.
Parent: Resveratrol
Commercial resveratrol materials and botanical extracts typically specify a trans-resveratrol content of 95 to 99 percent by validated HPLC methods, with total related stilbenoid impurities often under 2 to 5 percent depending on grade and purification method; common related compounds include cis-resveratrol, piceid (resveratrol glucoside, often present in raw plant extracts), oligomeric viniferins such as epsilon-viniferin, and small amounts of structurally related stilbenes and phenolics; typical quality specifications include moisture or loss on drying below 5 percent, total ash below 2 percent for extracts, microbial limits consistent with food or supplement grade, and control of heavy metals to pharmacopeial or supplier limits (for example lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury controlled to low ppm ranges); residual solvents should comply with ICH Q3C classification and vendor certificates of analysis should report assay, related substances, residual solvents and contaminant testing as part of release.
Preclinical studies show antioxidant, anti inflammatory and modulatory effects on cellular signaling pathways that relate to mitochondrial function, endothelial function and lipid metabolism; human clinical results are heterogeneous with some trials reporting modest improvements in markers of vascular inflammation, insulin sensitivity or lipid oxidation while others show no clear benefit, so efficacy depends on dose, formulation, population and study endpoints and resveratrol should not be presented as a proven treatment for specific diseases without randomized clinical evidence.
There is no robust clinical evidence that resveratrol selectively burns abdominal fat in humans; animal and cell studies suggest potential effects on metabolism and fat cell biology, but human trials have not demonstrated consistent, clinically meaningful reductions in visceral or subcutaneous fat as a direct effect of resveratrol supplementation.
At commonly used dietary supplement doses resveratrol has been generally well tolerated in clinical studies and has not been shown to cause routine nephrotoxicity, but safety data in people with impaired renal function are limited; individuals with kidney disease, on renal clearance sensitive medications, or taking high doses should consult a healthcare professional and review product quality data before use.
Foods with relatively higher resveratrol content include the skins of red grapes, red wine, Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) which is a primary source for many supplements, peanuts and some berries such as blueberries and cranberries, noting that actual concentrations vary widely by cultivar, growing conditions, ripeness and processing.
