Effect of resveratrol on intimal hyperplasia after endothelial denudation in an experimental rabbit model

The ability of resveratrol to inhibit vascular intimal thickening was teste d in an experimental model in which endothelial denudation was performed in the normal rabbit iliac artery. Resveratrol (2 similar to 4mg/ kg/d) was a dministered intragastrically for 5 weeks beginning 1 week before denudation . At the higher concentration of resveratrol, the intimal hyperplasia of in jured vascular wall was effectively inhibited; the intimal proliferation in dex also was significantly less than that in the untreated control group (0 .28 +/- 0.07 vs 0.41 +/- 0.13, respectively, p<0.01); the relative luminal area increased from 0.38 +/- 0.06 in the untreated control group to 0.53 +/ - 0.10 in the resveratrol treatment group (p<0.001); and the count of smoot h muscle cells in the thickened intima was statistically significantly redu ced in the high dose resveratrol treatment group than that in the untreated group (1115 +/- 510 vs 1796 +/- 963, respectively, p<0.05). Resveratrol ad ded to the culture media of cultured rabbit vascular smooth muscle cells in hibited DNA synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. These results showing tha t resveratrol is capable of inhibiting intimal hyperplasia of injured arter y raise the possibility that this polyphenol might have clinical potential in prevention and treatment of restenosis after angioplasty. (C) 2000 Elsev ier Science Inc. All rights reserved.