Resveratrol/Genestein and Anti-obesity effects

Resveratrol (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resveratrol) comes from the skin of red grapes and is technically a phytoallexin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytoalexin), It has been said to be an anti-viral, neuroprotective, anti-aging, anti-fungal and antibacterial nutrient. Now, a recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition, 2007 , (137) :12:2668-73, says that there may be a potential role for resveratrol in weight loss strategies.

In an in vitro study involving 3T3-L1 cells(http://www.copewithcytokines.de/cope.cgi?key=3T3-L1), a type of cell line simulating adipocytes, combined treatment using resvatrol plus a isoflavone called genestein(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genistein) was found to exert anti-obesity effects more potent than either of the compounds individually. After 48 hours of treatment with the combined solution of resveratrol and genestein, cell viability was decreased by both compounds, but by an additional 50% with both compound in pre-adipocytes and 69.7% in mature adipocytes. In doses of 100 micromol/L doses the combined compounds increased adipocytes cell apotosis by 242%.

This study suggests that in combination, genistein plus reservatol may exert antiobesiy effects through inhibiting adiopogenesis, inducing apoptosis (death of the fat cell) and promoting lipolysis (breaking down of the fat cell) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Reservatrol has been shown in other studies to increase insulin sensitivity in the rat, another mechanism involved in obesity biochemistry.

Then next step is to take this from the cellular level to human studies and determine an effective dosage to achieve similar results should this be shown a possibility in clinical trials.