Resveratrol and its lipophilized derivatives: structures, antioxidant and biological activities

Resveratrol is a stilbenoid, mostly found in grapes and red wine. Although it is known to render many health benefits such as antioxidant, anti-inflammation, and anticancer effects, its application in lipophilic systems is limited due to its hydrophilic nature. Therefore, resveratrol was structurally modified via esterification with selected fatty acids to expand its use in lipophilic media. The structures of resveratrol esters were confirmed by HPLC-MS and 1HNMR, 13CNMR, HSQC, COSY, NOESY, and HMBC. Resveratrol esters were further evaluated for their antioxidant activity in food and biological systems; details of which will be presented. Some preliminary results using different types of cell lines will also be discussed.