Abstract: Interest in the pharmacological effects of phytochemicals,especially these dietary factors,has increased dramatically.During the course of compound identification,resveratrol (3,4′,5-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene),a naturally occurring phytoalexin,has emerged to hold promise for its potent functions to disease prevention in vitro and in vivo.This review presents most of milestones in resveratrol studies so far,discusses its underlying mechanisms of action,and highlights the pharmacologic action in disease prevention.

Key words: Resveratrol, Therapeutic, Functional food, Review