Pterostilbene surpassed resveratrol for anti-inflammatory application: Potency consideration and pharmacokinetics perspective

This study aimed to evaluate the suitability of pterostilbene for anti-inflammatory application. The in vitro anti-inflammatory activities of pterostilbene were assessed using resveratrol, piceatannol and resveratrol trimethyl ether as comparators while its pharmacokinetics was examined in rats. All tested compounds displayed concentration-dependent anti-proliferative effect in E11 human rheumatoid arthritic synovial fibroblasts. They also suppressed LPS-induced NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation, down-regulated the secretions of IL-6, IL-18, VEGF, nitric oxide, MMP-2 and MMP-9 in E11 cells and attenuated E11-driven migration of THP-1 and U937 monocytes. Similarly, they inhibited LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines in THP-1 cells. Interestingly, pterostilbene usually displayed in vitro anti-inflammatory potencies stronger than resveratrol. In vivo studies revealed that pterostilbene was extensively distributed to major drug target organs like liver, kidney, heart, lung as well as brain and repeated oral dosing did not significantly alter its pharmacokinetics. In conclusion, pterostilbene appears to be a promising candidate for further development.