Stilbenes: Beneficial Effects of Resveratrol Metabolites in Obesity, Dyslipidemia, Insulin Resistance, and Inflammation

Resveratrol is a naturally occurring polyphenol found in several plants and produced in response to stress situations such as ultraviolet radiation or bacterial, viral, and fungal infection. In addition to its potential usefulness as an anticarcinogenic, antiinflammatory, antidiabetic or antiobesity agent, other biological functions have also been described for resveratrol. However, its extensive metabolism has been presented as a limitation for its use as a bioactive compound for many years. Indeed, the promising results obtained in in vivo and clinical studies suggest that resveratrol metabolites could have certain biological activity, although data to support such hypothesis are scarce and mainly related to obesity and its co-morbidities. In fact, until 2012, no data were reported regarding the effect of the main resveratrol metabolites in adipocyte adipogenesis and triglyceride metabolism. In this context, the aim of the present chapter is to summarize the biological effects described to date for resveratrol metabolites in adipocyte fat accumulation and other mechanisms/effects related to obesity. The studies carried out so far suggest that some resveratrol metabolites may contribute to the effect of the parent compound, not only in the prevention or treatment of obesity but also in other co-morbidities. Thus, it seems that the low bioavailability of resveratrol could be less important than expected, although more research in this field is still needed.