Resveratrol exacerbates both autoimmune and viral models of multiple sclerosis.

The polyphenol compound resveratrol is reported to have multiple
functions, including neuroprotection, and no major adverse effects have
been reported. Although the neuroprotective effects have been associated
with sirtuin 1 activation by resveratrol, the mechanisms by which
resveratrol exerts such functions are a matter of controversy. We
examined whether resveratrol can be neuroprotective in two models of
multiple sclerosis: experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and
Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus-induced demyelinating disease
(TMEV-IDD). EAE was induced in C57BL/6 mice, which were fed a control
diet or a diet containing resveratrol during either the induction or
effector phase or through the whole course of EAE. SJL/J mice were
infected with TMEV and fed a control diet or a diet containing
resveratrol during the chronic phase of TMEV-IDD. In EAE, all groups of
mice treated with resveratrol had more severe clinical signs than the
control group. In particular, resveratrol treatment during the induction
phase resulted in the most severe EAE, both clinically and
histologically. Similarly, in the viral model, the mice treated with
resveratrol developed significantly more severe TMEV-IDD than the
control group. Thus, surprisingly, the resveratrol treatment
significantly exacerbated demyelination and inflammation without
neuroprotection in the central nervous system in both models. Our
findings indicate that caution should be exercised in potential
therapeutic applications of resveratrol in human inflammatory
demyelinating diseases, including multiple sclerosis