Scientists at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif., are unraveling the details of what resveratrol really does in mammals.

It has been reported to help creatures live longer, run farther, and avoid obesity. But applying the findings to humans has been tricky.

Resveratrol is known as a compound from red wine, but it is also found in cacao beans, knotweed, and other plants.

Scripps researchers discovered that resveratrol partners with an enzyme that connects tyrosine to RNA. This seems to be protective under stressful conditions.

The combination of resveratrol and the enzyme enter the nucleus and stimulate DNA repair.

This might eventually prove to have benefits against cancer as well as helping promote longevity.