Resveratrol-mediated suppression of glioblastoma and glioma: targeting apoptosis, differentiation, and stem cell dynamics.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive type of primary brain tumor and is characterized by profound therapeutic resistance and poor survival outcomes. Resveratrol (RES), a dietary polyphenol found in grapes and berries, has attracted considerable interest for its pleiotropic antitumor activities. This review delineates the mechanistic landscape by which RES attenuates GBM progression, with emphasis on apoptosis induction, the promotion of differentiation, and the modulation of GBM stem-like cell (GSC) phenotypes. RES engages both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic programs, leading to caspase activation, programmed cell death, and diminished tumor viability. In parallel, RES promotes GBM cell differentiation, thereby constraining the proliferative capacity and invasive behavior of GBM cells. Notably, RES perturbs GSC maintenance by impairing self-renewal and tumorigenicity, processes central to therapeutic failure and recurrence. Through coordinated regulation of oncogenic and stress‒response pathways, RES reduces viability and stem-like features while enhancing the responsiveness of GBM cells to standard modalities, suggesting potential synergy within combinatorial regimens. Collectively, these data position RES as a promising adjunctive agent that mechanistically targets core hallmarks of GBM biology and may contribute to improved therapeutic outcomes when integrated into rational, multimodal treatment strategies.