Preoperative resveratrol and copper show biological changes in glioblastoma in small Indian study

An early‑stage study conducted at ACTREC in Mumbai involved 20 glioblastoma patients scheduled for brain surgery. Ten of them received a short preoperative course of a supplement combination made from resveratrol and copper for about 12 days; the remaining ten did not receive the supplements and served as a control group. The treated tumors exhibited marked biological changes compared with untreated tumors, including a near‑complete reduction of cell‑free chromatin particles that can fuel inflammation and tumor aggressiveness.

In the tumor tissue collected during surgery, researchers quantified multiple measures of tumor activity. They reported that, in the treated group, tumor growth activity fell by about 33%, cancer biomarkers dropped by 57%, immune‑checkpoint signals fell by 41%, and stem‑cell markers were reduced by 56%. Notably, there were no reported side effects in the treated patients during the preoperative period.

Researchers say the two supplements work together because copper enables resveratrol to generate a burst of reactive molecules that break down DNA debris known to inflame cancer cells. The tablets used small amounts of copper and resveratrol to produce molecules that target and dismantle cell‑free chromatin particles released by dying tumor cells, which can fuel tumor aggressiveness. These findings point to a potential mechanism by which a simple, inexpensive nutraceutical approach could influence tumor biology in glioblastoma, a cancer historically treated with surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

The research team said the observed changes in tumor biology were striking given the short treatment window and the highly invasive nature of glioblastoma. They noted that the study was designed as a preliminary exploration to see whether this combination could move tumor tissue in a direction that might support standard therapies rather than replace them. To help illustrate the approach, researchers designed the preoperative course to be brief and low risk, using readily available supplements that patients could obtain outside a hospital setting if future work supports it.

The study was conducted with 10 patients receiving the resveratrol‑copper tablets and 10 who did not, and tumor samples were taken during surgery to enable direct comparison of treated and untreated tissue. The preoperative timing was chosen so scientists could assess immediate tissue-level effects that might be associated with the combination before standard treatment resumed postoperatively.

Study limitations are substantial. The researchers cautioned that the sample size was small, with only 20 participants, and that observations focused on short‑term tissue changes rather than long‑term clinical outcomes. They also emphasized that the tumors’ visible appearance did not change in radiographic imaging within the window of the study, and whether the observed molecular shifts correlate with improved survival or response to conventional therapies remains unknown. Larger, longer, and carefully controlled trials are needed to determine safety over time and whether any genuine clinical benefit follows from the biological changes observed in this initial work.

The lead investigator, Dr. Indraneel Mittra of ACTREC, noted that the findings are a first step and should not prompt self‑medication. He stressed that the results come from a controlled experimental formulation and that self‑administered use of resveratrol and copper in nonstandard forms could carry risks, particularly for cancer patients who are undergoing other therapies. The researchers also highlighted that the work is not a substitute for established cancer treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy or targeted therapies, which have been proven to provide benefits in substantial patient populations.

External experts familiar with the field urged caution given the study’s scale and scope. The American Cancer Society notes that dietary supplements have not demonstrated proven anti‑cancer effects and can interact with diagnostics and treatments or pose other risks. The organization recommends that cancer patients use supplements only under medical supervision and as part of a treatment plan guided by clinicians. In 2024, the Tata Memorial Center, which oversees ACTREC, issued a cautious statement about early resveratrol‑copper findings and underscored that the approach should not be considered a replacement for conventional therapies.

The study reporting these results appeared in BJC Reports in September. While the findings generate interest in a potentially inexpensive approach to influencing tumor biology, researchers and clinicians alike emphasize that replication in larger patient cohorts is essential before drawing conclusions about safety, efficacy or long‑term benefits. The authors say the public should understand that this is a preliminary step and that results need validation in more diverse and larger patient groups before any clinical recommendations can be made. Researchers continue to pursue this line of inquiry as part of a broader effort to explore novel, potentially less toxic strategies that might complement existing treatments.

As science advances, the authors acknowledge that the road from early signal to routine clinical use is long. Further studies will need to determine whether the observed reductions in tumor activity markers translate into meaningful clinical gains, how the regimen interacts with standard therapies, and whether the approach can be safely scaled for broader patient use. If validated, the combination of resveratrol and copper could become part of a larger, multimodal strategy aimed at pairing conventional cancer treatments with approaches that modulate tumor biology rather than relying solely on tumor destruction.