Gnetin C in Cancer and Other Diseases: What Do We Know So Far?

Stilbenes are a class of natural polyphenols with multiple positive pharmacologic assets such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects. While monomeric stilbenes, represented mostly by resveratrol and pterostilbene, have been studied intensely in the last two decades, oligomeric compounds, which may have better prospects of becoming potent nutraceuticals, are much less studied. The goal of this review is to compile all available literature to date on the beneficial pharmacologic effects of Gnetin C, a resveratrol dimer, in cancer and other diseases. While studies have shown the beneficial effects of Gnetin C, as a single compound or a component of melinjo seed extract, through cellular models, in vivo preclinical studies are still lacking. This is except for prostate cancer, where various animal models, including xenografts and transgenic mice, have been used to evaluate Gnetin C's more potent anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects compared to resveratrol and its monomeric analogs. Since Gnetin C's safety has already been demonstrated in healthy volunteers, it is now logical to evaluate its efficacy for prostate cancer chemoprevention, interception and therapy in clinical trials.