Mechanisms of resveratrol in cartilage injury repair and protection: A review

Cartilage injury is a central pathological feature of degenerative joint diseases such as osteoarthritis. Due to its avascular, aneural, and low-cell-density nature, cartilage has a very limited capacity for self-repair. Consequently, identifying agents capable of delaying cartilage degeneration and promoting repair remains a major research focus. Resveratrol, a natural polyphenol, has garnered significant attention for its potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytoprotective properties. Based on recent research advances, this narrative review summarizes the multifaceted protective roles and molecular mechanisms of resveratrol in cartilage injury and discusses its potential for clinical application. The effects of resveratrol are not mediated through a single pathway but rather through a complex signaling network, in which AMPK, SIRT1, Nrf2, and PI3 K/Akt serve as core nodes, coordinately regulating and inhibiting NF-κB, a central hub of proinflammatory and catabolic signaling.