Resveratrol and its impact on aging and thyroid function.

Resveratrol, the naturally occurring polyphenolic compound characterized by anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and apoptotic properties, appears to contribute substantially to cardioprotection and cancer-prevention. In addition, resveratrol is believed to regulate several biological processes, mainly metabolism and aging, by modulating the mammalian silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) of the sirtuin family. Resveratrol may arrest, among various tumors, cell growth in both papillary and follicular thyroid cancer by activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal transduction pathway as well as increase of p53 and its phosphorylation. Finally, resveratrol also influences thyroid function by enhancing iodide trapping and, by increasing TSH secretion via activation of sirtuins and the phosphatidylinositol- 4-phosphate 5 kinase γ (PIP5Kγ) pathway, positively affects metabolism.