Piceatannol is a stilbenoid, a type of phenolic compound. It is a metabolite of resveratrol

Resveratrol

Resveratrol is a stilbenoid, a type of natural phenol, and a phytoalexin produced naturally by several plants when under attack by pathogens such as bacteria or fungi....

 found in red wine.

Astringin

Astringin

Astringin is a stilbenoid. It is the piceatannol glucoside. It can be found in wine....

 is a piceatannol glucoside.

Health effects

LMP2A, a viral protein-tyrosine kinase

Tyrosine kinase

A tyrosine kinase is an enzyme that can transfer a phosphate group from ATP to a protein in a cell. It functions as an "on" or "off" switch in many cellular functions....

 implicated in leukemia

Leukemia

Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...

, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and other diseases associated with Epstein-Barr virus

Epstein-Barr virus

The Epstein–Barr virus , also called human herpesvirus 4 , is a virus of the herpes family and is one of the most common viruses in humans. It is best known as the cause of infectious mononucleosis...

, were found to be blocked by picetannol in vitro. Therefore there is research interest in piceatannol as an anti-cancer

Cancer

Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...

and anti-EBV drug.