Effects of combined treatment with resveratrol and indole-3-carbinol.

Male Wistar rats received a semisynthetic diet with resveratrol (100 mg/kg), indole-3-carbinol (20 mg/kg), or a mixture of these compounds in the same doses for 1 week. Activities of ethoxyresorufin dealkylase (EROD), methoxyresorufin dealkylase (MROD), pentoxyresorufin dealkylase (PROD), and 6β-testosterone hydroxylase (6β-TH) and the content of mRNA for CYP1A1, CYP1A2, and CYP3A1 were elevated in the liver of rats receiving indole-3-carbinol. These changes were accompanied by an increase in activity of phase II xenobiotic metabolism enzymes (quinone reductase, hemoxygenase-1, glutathione transferase, and UDP glucuronosyl transferase). Resveratrol did not modify activity of these enzymes. After combined treatment with the test compounds, resveratrol suppressed the indole-3-carbinol-induced increase in activities of EROD, MROD, PROD, and 6β-TH, and expression of the corresponding genes. Combined treatment was characterized by potentiation of the antioxidant effects of these compounds.