BACKGROUND: Cardiac hypertrophy is a compensatory enlargement of the heart in 
response to stress such as hypertension. It is beneficial in reducing stress 
placed on the heart. However, when the stress is of a chronic nature, it becomes 
pathological and leads to cardiac dysfunction and heart failure. Current 
treatments for hypertension and heart failure have proven beneficial but are not 
highly specific and associated with side effects. Accordingly, there is an 
important need for alternative strategies to provide safe and effective 
treatment.
METHODS: Ten-week-old male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and 
Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were treated with resveratrol (2.5 mg/kg/day) for a 
period of 10 weeks. Systolic blood pressure, and cardiac structure and function 
were measured in all groups at different time points of resveratrol treatment. 
Oxidative stress was also determined in all groups after 10 weeks of resveratrol 
treatment.
RESULTS: SHRs were characterized with high blood pressure and concentric 
hypertrophy from 15 weeks of age. Cardiac functional abnormalities were also 
evident in SHR from 15 weeks onwards. Resveratrol treatment significantly 
prevented the development of concentric hypertrophy, and systolic and diastolic 
dysfunction in SHR without lowering blood pressure. Resveratrol also 
significantly reduced the oxidative stress levels of cardiac tissue in SHR.
CONCLUSIONS: Resveratrol treatment was beneficial in preventing the development 
of concentric hypertrophy and cardiac dysfunction in SHR. The cardioprotective 
effect of resveratrol in SHR may be partially mediated by a reduction in 
oxidative stress. Thus, resveratrol may have potential in preventing cardiac 
impairment in patients with essential hypertension.