Resveratrol is a self-protective factor produced by plants when they are stimulated. It was first isolated from the roots of the North American plant Veratrum, hence its name. Later, this natural product was also isolated from various plants such as berries, grapes, peanuts, Polygonum cuspidatum and mulberries. The main methods for the natural extraction of resveratrol from plants include organic solvent extraction, water extraction, and alkali extraction-acid precipitation. The chemical synthesis method of resveratrol is suitable for large-scale industrial preparation. Most synthetic processes adopt the Wittig reaction to realize the splicing of two benzene rings, with a yield of over 50%.

Resveratrol exhibits significant biological activities. It has pharmacological effects including anti-tumor, cardiovascular protection, anti-oxidation, antibacterial, antiviral, liver protection, anti-inflammatory and immune regulation. It can also be used as a dietary supplement for human health care and disease prevention. Resveratrol inhibits tyrosinase, monophenolase and diphenolase, and has a whitening effect on human skin tissue.