Protective effects of resveratrol in animal models of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a preclinical systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to quantitatively evaluate the protective effects of resveratrol (RES) in animal models of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and systematically summarize its potential molecular regulatory mechanisms.

METHODS

Eight databases were systematically searched for eligible animal studies from inception to February 2026. Methodological quality was assessed using the SYRCLE tool. Meta-analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.4 and Stata 18.0.

RESULTS

This meta-analysis included 14 preclinical studies involving a total of 377 experimental animals (experimental group: 239; control group: 138). The results showed that RES significantly alleviated airflow limitation and improved pulmonary function in COPD models (FEV0.3/FVC: SMD = 1.79, 95% CI [0.94, 2.63], P < 0.0001; lung compliance: SMD = 1.63, 95% CI [0.92, 2.33], P < 0.00001). Regarding inflammatory regulation, RES significantly reduced serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α (SMD = -3.18, 95% CI [-4.92, -1.44], P = 0.0003), IL-8 (SMD = -2.79, 95% CI [-4.71, -0.86], P = 0.005), and IL-6 (SMD = -1.28, 95% CI [-2.03, -0.53], P = 0.0008). At the pulmonary level, RES also downregulated both the protein (SMD = -6.57, 95% CI [-9.94, -3.20], P = 0.0001) and mRNA (SMD = -1.48, 95% CI [-2.22, -0.73], P = 0.0001) expression of TNF-α in lung tissue. Furthermore, RES attenuated oxidative stress-related injury in lung tissue, as reflected by decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (SMD = -2.64, 95% CI [-3.93, -1.35], P < 0.0001) and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (SMD = 3.52, 95% CI [1.22, 5.82], P = 0.003). Substantial heterogeneity was observed in some pooled outcomes, and Egger's test suggested potential publication bias.

CONCLUSION

Current preclinical evidence suggests that RES may improve pulmonary function and attenuate inflammatory responses and oxidative stress-related injury in COPD animal models. However, these findings should be considered preliminary, and further well-designed studies are needed to validate the translational relevance of RES in COPD.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420261309405, identifier CRD420261309405.