Russell J Reiter

..As of this writing there is no definitive evidence to prove that melatonin alters the rate of aging, although data relating to melatonin deferring some age-related degenerative conditions is accumulating rapidly...

..We conclude that the cellular redox state may be involved in cellular transformation caused by antioxidants such as melatonin and trolox...

..As a result, these alterations in melatonin production under physiological or pathological conditions would probably influence the activity of QR2...

..Finally, the described application of melatonin's use as a chemical reductant in industry could well serve as a stimulus to further define the utility of this versatile molecule in new industrial applications...

..These, however, are not the only age-associated neurodegenerative states where melatonin has been found to be protective...

..Although melatonin is commonly known as a sleep aid (sleep/wake problems are common in FM sufferers), it has a variety of other beneficial effects that may account for its potential benefits in the treatment of FM...

..Via these multiple processes, melatonin is capable of influencing the metabolism of every cell in the organism...

..We investigated whether melatonin is present in walnuts (Juglans regia L.) and, if so, tested whether eating walnuts influences melatonin levels and the total antioxidant status of the blood...

..The report concludes with the suggestion that melatonin, alone or in combination with other antioxidants, be considered for routine usage to potentially combat some of the neural ravages of aging...

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..e. ischemia-reperfusion and ionizing radiation, where free radicals are generally conceded as being responsible for much of the resulting tissue destruction...

..All indications are that melatonin has a variety of beneficial effects in the gastrointestinal tract. It is likely, however, that additional actions of melatonin on the digestive system will be uncovered...

..Furthermore, clinical tests utilizing melatonin have proven highly successful; because of the positive outcomes of these studies, melatonin's use in disease states and processes where free radical damage is involved should be increased...

..The primary action to explain melatonin's protective effects may relate to its ubiquitous direct and indirect antioxidative actions, although other beneficial functions of melatonin are not precluded...

..Clearly, the intent of the drugs is to take advantage of some of melatonin's numerous beneficial effects...

..In addition to cancer, there may be other diseases that result from the chronic suppression of melatonin by light at night...

..The outlook for the use of melatonin in clinical trials looks encouraging given its low toxicity and high efficacy...

..The consequences of the altered melatonin cycle with the chronodisruption as well as the alterations of GIT melatonin that have been linked to a variety of pathologies, including those of the gastrointestinal tract...

..Melatonin's low cost and minimal toxicity profile supports its use to protect the inner ear from drug-mediated damage...

..This is not unexpected considering the now well documented potent antioxidative actions of both melatonin and its metabolites. In general, melatonin improves cardiovascular physiology and heart function...

..In view of this and its virtual absence of toxicity, melatonin may well find applications in both human and veterinary medicine...

..Taken together, the findings from human and animal studies support the consideration of melatonin as a cardioprotective agent...

..Finally, if cancer is a consequence of excessive nighttime light, it is likely that other diseases/conditions may also be exaggerated by the widespread use of light after darkness onset...

..While increasing life span will not necessarily be a goal of these investigative efforts, improving health and the quality of life in the aged should be an aim of this research...

..The implication of these findings is that melatonin may have utility as an antihypertensive agent...

..The information in this article has applicability to human and veterinary medicine...

..Finally, melatonin may be a treatment for hypertension. Melatonin's high efficacy, its high safety profile, and its virtual lack of toxicity make it of interest in clinical medicine...

..Concisely reviewed in this report are the protective effects of melatonin against toxic prescription drugs, neural toxins, herbicides and metals. The findings have clear implications for the utility of melatonin in toxicology...

..It is now imperative that similar studies be conducted using humans whose quality of life may benefit from treatment with melatonin...

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..The results of these investigations would help to clarify the potential importance of the use of melatonin in situations of oxidative damage to the heart in humans...

..While correlations between melatonin and the status of the reproductive system in humans have been noted, whether they are functionally related remains to be determined...

..This combination of actions makes melatonin a highly effective pharmacological agent against free radical damage. The role of physiological levels of melatonin in forestalling oxidative damage in the brain is currently being tested...

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..The results discussed in this brief review suggest rigorous clinical tests with antioxidants which may help to define the mechanisms associated with RDS and which could lead to new treatment strategies...

..These multiple actions make melatonin a potentially useful agent in the treatment of neurological disorders that have oxidative damage as part of their etiological basis...

..By this means melatonin attenuates transendothelial cell migration and edema, which contribute to tissue damage...

..Melatonin has been widely used as a protective agent against a wide variety of processes and agents that damage tissues via free radical mechanisms...

..Furthermore, melatonin crosses all morphophysiological barriers and enters equally well all cells in the organism...

..On the other hand, other pineal secretory products that were reduced as a consequence of pineal removal may have also been responsible for some of the observed changes...

..These findings have implications for disease processes, eg, neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases, which involve free radicals and for aging itself, which also is believed to be related to accumulated oxidative damage...

..In humans, the total antioxidative capacity of serum is related to melatonin levels. Thus, the reduction in melatonin with age may be a factor in increased oxidative damage in the elderly...

..Since endogenous melatonin levels fal 1 markedly in advanced age, the implication of these findings is that the loss of this antioxidant may contribute to the incidence or severity of some age-associated neurodegenerative diseases...

..This combination of actions assists melatonin in protecting cells from the degenerative changes normally associated with aging and age-related diseases...

..Further research should be conducted to more accurately define the potential negative impact of light at abnormal times on animal and human pathophysiology...

..Considering the low toxicity of melatonin and its ability to reduce the side effects and increase the efficacy of these drugs, its use as a combination therapy with these agents seems important and worthy of pursuit...

..Since melatonin concentrations in the blood correlate with the total antioxidant status of this fluid, it is likely that dietary melatonin could be important in protecting against oxidative damage...

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..This unique cascade action of melatonin, in terms of scavenging, increases its efficiency to neutralized ABTSb+; this contrasts with the effects of the classic antioxidants...

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..Results shown here demonstrate that alkyl peroxyl radicals inactivate catalase and reduce the effectiveness of cells to defend against free radical damage; the damage to catalase can be prevented by antioxidants, especially melatonin...

..e., light at night) with the subsequent deregulation of PER2 which acts as a tumor suppressor gene...

..This study also provides rationale for the design of larger translational research-based clinical trials...

..The potential use of melatonin for protecting individuals from radiation terrorism is also considered...

..Via these actions, melatonin preserves the integrity of the mitochondria and helps to maintain cell functions and survival...

..The findings raise the possibility of melatonin being considered as an effective gastroprotective agent individually or as a cotreatment with either ranitidine and omeprazole...

..The results described herein help to clarify the beneficial effects of melatonin against these conditions and define the potential clinical applicability of melatonin in cardiovascular diseases...

..g., ischemia/reperfusion injury, toxin exposure, lipopolysaccharide exposure, etc., where free radical damage is a component of the condition...

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..It seems likely that melatonin initially evolved as an antioxidant, becoming a vitamin in the food chain, and in multicellular organisms, where it is produced, it has acquired autocoid, paracoid and hormonal properties...

..To summarize the role of melatonin in the physiology and pathophysiology of the ovary...

..It may benefit many individuals worldwide, especially in countries where access to medical facilities is limited...

..These novel findings could lead to improvements in the phytoremediative capacity of plants by either stimulating endogenous melatonin synthesis or by adding melatonin to water/soil in which they are grown...

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..The changing biological roles of melatonin seem to have evolved from its primary function as an antioxidant...

..The scientific evidence supporting a role for melatonin in human pregnancy is summarized...

..Thus, increased oxidative stress accompanied by reduced endogenous defences may play a role in the pathogenesis of a number of diseases in the newborn...

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..It has been reported that the higher the oxidative state, the more AFMK is produced. The ratio of AFMK and another melatonin metabolite, cyclic 3-hydroxymelatonin, may serve as an indicator of the level of oxidative stress in organisms...

..Recycling of NADH by melatonin might improve the efficiency of NADH as an energy carrier and as an antioxidant. Interactions between melatonin and NADH may be implicated in mitochondrial metabolism...

..e., as a member of antioxidant defense system, to protect against the potential oxidative injury induced by the physiological ischemia/reperfusion...