Anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer potential of pterostilbene: A review

Abstract

Pterostilbene is a natural compound that can be found in various food plants such as blueberries, grapes, and peanuts. It has also been reported to be extracted from Pterocarpus indicus, a tree species native to India and Southeast Asia. Pterostilbene exhibits various pharmacological activities such as antioxidants, anti-proliferation, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory activities with favorable pharmacokinetic properties, such as high oral bioavailability and longer half-life. The anti-inflammatory effect of pterostilbene has been reported to contribute to its therapeutic effects in many chronic inflammatory diseases. Besides, pterostilbene has anti-cancer activity on various types of cancers due to its ability to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Hence, in this review, we discuss the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities of pterostilbene in preclinical studies.