Anna Górska, Krzysztof Niwiński, Renata Jachowicz

New technological solutions in the aspect of topical and oral administration of resveratrol
2019-11-30

Resveratrol (3,5,4-trihydroxystilbene) is a natural polyphenolic compound with a wide spectrum of biological activities, which could possibly be useful in the prevention or treatment of cardiovascular, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, as well as premature skin aging. The extraction and synthesis methods have been developed rapidly for resveratrol. It is isolated mainly from Polygonum cuspidatum due to its high concentration in this herb. However, rapid development of biotechnology led to a new way of resveratrol synthesis directly in recombinant yeast, but also in bacteria, such as Escherichia coli. Currently, resveratrol is used as a dietary supplement in form of tablets, capsules or sublingual drops. Nonetheless, resveratrol application is still being a major challenge due to its poor solubility in water as well as low and erratic bioavailability. However, the latest studies showed the possibility of extending the therapeutic range of resveratrol utility, including its potential as a wound care agent. The systems designed for application to the skin are particularly promising, although the formulations proposal for oral administration are also interesting. Despite its potential as a compound administered topically, nowadays resveratrol is available only as an anti-aging ingredient in skin care products. As a substance with the pleiotropic mode of action, it has become the object of interest of many research groups as well as the pharmaceutical industry. Most studies have tended to focus on pharmacological activity of raw resveratrol and its poor bioavailabilty, thus the number of research concerning the development of a drug delivery system for resveratrol is very limited.

The present review summarizes the most recent literature which demonstrates the currently used technologies allowing to overcome poor bioavailability of resveratrol, with particular emphasis put on its topical and oral administration. The article shows the current state of knowledge on delivery systems with resveratrol such as liposomes, nanoemulsions, lipid nanoparticles and nanocrystals. It presents also an overview of recent developments in the use of resveratrol in the prevention and treatment of different skin diseases.

Keywords: resveratrol, polyphenols, drug carriers, wound healing, topical application.

© Farm Pol, 2019, 75 (11): 599–604