Resveratrol: botanical origin, pharmacological activity and applications

In the past decade, resveratrol, one of the best well-known natural small molecules, has been intensely studied and has shown various promising bioactivities. A growing body of studies point out its potential application and suggest that resveratrol, as a natural product, has highly protective effects on several human diseases, with mild side effects. This review summarizes the botanical origin of resveratrol, and highlights a series of valuable therapeutic potentials, focusing on its pharmacological effects as well as its applied uses.