OBJECTIVES: The putative protective effects of resveratrol against oxidative 
injury in the heart, kidney and brain tissues of rats induced with the 
two-kidney, one-clip (2K1C) hypertension model were investigated.
METHODS: Wistar albino rats were divided into sham-operated (n = 8) or 2K1C 
groups, in which rats received either resveratrol (10 mg/kg per day, i.p., n = 
8), or saline (n = 8) starting at Week 3 after the surgery and continuing for 
the following 6 weeks. Indirect blood pressure recordings and echocardiographic 
images were made to evaluate cardiac function. At the end of Week 9 the animals 
were decapitated and plasma, heart, kidney and brain were taken for biochemical 
assays, while aortic rings were prepared for vascular reactivity studies.
KEY FINDINGS: 2K1C hypertension resulted in increased blood pressure, aortic 
hypercontractility and reduced left ventricular function, leading to increased 
lipid peroxidation and myeloperoxidase activity, concomitant with significant 
reductions in tissue glutathione, superoxide dismutase, Na+/K+-ATPase and 
catalase activities in the cardiac, renal and brain tissues, indicating the 
presence of oxidative tissue damage in peripheral target organs. Elevated plasma 
levels of lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, as well as reduced plasma 
levels of antioxidant capacity and nitric oxide further verified the severity of 
oxidative injury. A 6-week treatment with resveratrol reversed all the measured 
parameters, ameliorated hypertension-induced oxidative injury in the target 
organs and improved cardiovascular function.
CONCLUSIONS: Resveratrol improved cardiovascular function through the 
augmentation of endogenous antioxidants and the inhibition of lipid peroxidation 
by maintaining a balance in oxidant/antioxidant status, which also ameliorated 
hypertension-induced oxidative injury in the cardiac, renal and cerebral 
tissues.