Pterostilbene: A review of its antioxidant activity, neuroprotective properties and potential role in cancer therapy
McCormack D, McFadden D
Published in Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine
Abstract
Comprehensive review covering pterostilbene superior bioavailability compared to resveratrol, mechanisms of neuroprotection, metabolic benefits, and potential therapeutic applications across multiple disease states.
Methodology
Narrative review of in vitro, animal and early human data on pterostilbene, covering pharmacokinetics relative to resveratrol, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory signalling, neuroprotection and anticancer mechanisms.
Key Findings
Pterostilbene has substantially higher oral bioavailability and a longer half-life than resveratrol because its two methoxy groups resist rapid glucuronidation. Preclinical work shows antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, lipid-lowering and anticancer activity across multiple models. Human evidence at the time of review was limited to small early-phase studies.
Conclusions
Pterostilbene is a mechanistically attractive resveratrol analogue with better pharmacokinetics, but its clinical value remains unproven and rests almost entirely on laboratory and animal data.
Limitations
Narrative review dominated by cell and rodent studies at doses not achievable in humans; almost no controlled clinical outcome data; no systematic search or bias assessment.
Supplements Studied
Pterostilbene has substantially higher oral bioavailability and a longer half-life than resveratrol because its two methoxy groups resist rapid glucuronidation. Preclinical work shows antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, lipid-lowering and anticancer activity across multiple models. Human evidence at the time of review was limited to small early-phase studies.
Pterostilbene has substantially higher oral bioavailability and a longer half-life than resveratrol because its two methoxy groups resist rapid glucuronidation. Preclinical work shows antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, lipid-lowering and anticancer activity across multiple models. Human evidence at the time of review was limited to small early-phase studies.
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