Stilbenoids biological activity

Many stilbene derivates (stilbenoids) are naturally present in plants. The most widely distributed stilbenoids are resveratrol, combretastatins, and pterostilbene. These agents are derived from terrestrial plants, microorganisms, marine organisms, and animals [1,2]. This chapter is a brief review on diverse biological activities of stilbenes in cells, organs, and animals. 

Harmatha J, Dinan L. Biological activities of lignans and stilbenoids associated with plant—insect chemical interactions. Phytochem Rev. 2003 2 321-330. 

Polyphenolics are important constituents of grapes in determining the color, taste, and body of wines. Unlike other alcoholic beverages, red wine, which is obtained after about 10 days of maceration, contains phenolic compounds in substantial concentrations of up to 4 g L . Due to the lower maceration time, white and rose wines contain about a tenth of the polyphenol levels of red wines [1]. Among these compounds, stilbenoids constitute an important subclass, whose overall levels can reach over 100 mg in red wine. Resveratrol is one of the major stilbenoids of red wine with numerous promising biological activities. 

In V. vinifera, stilbenoids can either be constitutively expressed or induced through an abiotic or biotic stress. While there are exceptions, the stilbenoids are primarily constitutively expressed in the lignified organs (roots and stems) and are mainly induced substances, serving as phytoalexins, in leaves and berry skins [22, 23]. Within the roots and stems, stilbenoids are found as major constituents. In leaves, stilbenoids have been shown to be highly inducible, and a number of stilbenoids have been identified in infected and treated leaves. The stilbenoids in roots, stems, and leaves have been widely studied due to their importance in disease resistance. While these plant parts are not commonly utilized in the diet, they may be sources of novel stilbenoids with potent biological activities. 

Liu AL, Yang F, Zu M et al (2010) In vitro anti-influenza viral activities of stilbenoids from the lianas of Gnetum pendulum. Planta Med. doi 10.1055/s-0030-1250030 Loizzo MR, Saab A, Tundis R et al (2008) Phytochemical analysis and in vitro evaluation of the biological activity against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) of Cedrus Ubani A. Rich. Phytomedicine 15 79-83... 

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