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Structural Differences
However, some of the biggest hurdles for reaping the benefits of resveratrol i n humans appear to be its limited bioavailability and rapid elimination from t he body. But those hurdles might be overcome by a compound that has mor e recently gained some notice.
About 10 years after the discovery that resveratrol activated a longevity gene, researchers began to take interest in its molecular cousin, pterostilbene. Alth ough it is present in a higher concentration in blueberries than in red wine, pterostilbene is nearly identical in chemical structure to resveratrol.
The first human-safety study of pterostilbene was published in 2013, and inve stigations have intensified since then. Pterostilbene is now championed as a more potent form of resveratrol. It’s said to offer all of the previously known benefits of resveratrol but with superior bioavailability. Are these claims true? Read on for a detailed comparison of these two cousin compounds.
-Structural Differences
Resveratrol and pterostilbene are both naturally occurring plant compounds. R esveratrol is concentrated in grape skins and red wine, but it has also been i solated from the roots of Japanese knotweed. Pterostilbene is concentrated pr imarily in blueberries, but it has also been found in small amounts in peanut s, grapes and cocoa.
Resveratrol and pterostilbene fall into a class of compounds called stilbenes. T hese phenolic compounds consist of two aromatic rings with hydroxyl groups (-OH). Resveratrol and pterostilbene are very similar in structure, but with on e minute—yet critical—difference. Resveratrol has three hydroxyl groups, wher eas pterostilbene has only one. The other two hydroxyl groups are replaced b y methoxy groups (O-CH3) in pterostilbene.
The difference in the number of hydroxyl groups is crucial because it influenc es how quickly the compound is metabolized and eliminated from the body. The three hydroxyl groups in resveratrol hasten the molecule’s removal, which makes it challenging to reach and maintain appreciable levels of resveratrol i n the bloodstream.
