Previously, we reported that pyrogallol, an anti-psoriatic agent, causes hepatotoxicity in experimental animals and silymarin, an herbal antioxidant, reduces pyrogallol-induced changes [Upadhyay, G., Kumar, A., Singh, M.P., 2007. Effect of silymarin on pyrogallol- and rifampicin-induced hepatotoxicity in mouse. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 565, 190-201.]. The present study was undertaken to assess the effect of resveratrol against pyrogallol-induced changes in hepatic damage markers, xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes and oxidative stress. Swiss albino mice were treated intraperitoneally, daily with pyrogallol (40 mg/kg), for one to four weeks, along with respective controls. In some set of experiments, animals were pre-treated with resveratrol (10 mg/kg), 2 h prior to pyrogallol treatment, along with respective controls. Alanine aminotransaminase, aspartate aminotransaminase and bilirubin were measured in blood plasma and mRNA expression of cytochrome P-450 (CYP) 1A1, CYP1A2, CYP2E1, glutathione-S-transferase (GST)-ya and GST-yc, catalytic activity of CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP2E1, GST, glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase, lipid peroxidation and reduced glutathione (GSH) level were measured in liver. Resveratrol reduced pyrogallol-mediated increase in alanine aminotransaminase, aspartate aminotransaminase, bilirubin, lipid peroxidation and mRNA expression and catalytic activity of CYP2E1 and CYP1A2. Pyrogallol-mediated decrease in GST-ya and GST-yc expressions, GST, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities and GSH content was significantly attenuated in resveratrol co-treated animals. CYP1A1 expression and catalytic activity were not altered significantly in any treated groups. The results demonstrate that resveratrol modulates pyrogallol-induced changes in hepatic toxicity markers, xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes and oxidative stress.