Introduction: Resveratrol is a polyphenol present in grapes, some nuts and dried fruits, and red wine. A number of beneficial properties have been attributed to this compound. Its potential neuroprotective effects are the subject of much research today.
Aim: To review the effects of resveratrol, and more particularly those related to its capacity to offer protection against the neurodegeneration associated with several pathologies and traumatic injuries in the central nervous system.
Development: It has been suggested that the daily consumption of red wine, and therefore of resveratrol, could account for the so-called 'French paradox', according to which the population in the south of France, despite eating a diet that is relatively high in saturated fats, presents a low risk of heart disease. From this first evidence of the cardioprotective properties of resveratrol, its study has been extended and equally attractive biopharmacological effects have now been found in many different fields. Thus, neuroprotective effects have been found in models of neurodegeneration (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's or Huntington's disease, or diverse neuropathies), of ischaemia and of brain and spinal cord injury, but further clinical data are still needed in this regard.
Conclusions: Although few studies have been conducted in humans, recent findings in experimental models of neurological pathology are encouraging and open up the doors to future clinical studies that will allow the therapeutic value of resveratrol to be determined.