• Universitat de València
• University of Alacant

• Roque Bru Martínez
• María José Martínez Esteso
• Ascensión Martínez Márquez
• Antonio Vicente Samper Herrero
• Juan José Montesinos Azorín

Stilbenoids are biologically active phenolic compounds with a broad spectrum of antibiotic and pharmacological activity. They have been shown to have beneficial effects on human health such as the treatment of atherosclerosis, anti-inflammatory or antioxidant effect, anti-cancer, among others. It is therefore important to have an adequate source of stilbenes for use as food supplements or drug adjuvants. Among these compounds are resveratrol and oxyresveratrol, with important beneficial effects demonstrated in medical and cosmetic experiments. Resveratrol is found in abundance in grapes, peanuts and mulberry, while oxyresveratrol is only found in the root bark of mulberry.

Currently, the production of oxyresveratrol requires the implementation of extraction processes from raw materials, including non-renewable parts (e.g. hardwood, root bark), or chemical synthesis at the expense of the efficiency and cost of both processes. There is therefore a need for a simpler and more efficient way to obtain these compounds of interest. Current biotechnology offers sustainable ways to obtain these valuable compounds, such as cell culture combined with metabolic stimulation and engineering approaches.

• One-step method for the production of resveratrol and oxyresveratrol in the genus Morus.
• Stimulation of stilbene production in genus Morus plants, such as Morus alba, by hormone treatment. The accumulation of resveratrol and oxyresveratrol stilbenes is obtained extracellularly, thus facilitating their extraction and purification.

Applications of resveratrol and oxyresveratrol production: they are compounds with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective, antibiotic, antifungal and other activities.

• Complementation
• Pharmacological, e.g. as a complement to the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
• Active ingredient in cosmetic creams
• Fungicide

The main advantages provided by the invention are:

• More efficient, one-step method for obtaining resveratrol and oxyresveratrol.
• Extraction and purification.

• Patent applied