Melatonin: exceeding expectations

Melatonin is a small, highly conserved indole with numerous receptor-mediated and receptor-independent actions. Receptor-dependent functions include circadian rhythm regulation, sleep, and cancer inhibition. The receptor-independent actions relate to melatonin's ability to function in the detox...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physiology (Bethesda, Md.) Md.), 2014-09, Vol.29 (5), p.325-333
Main Authors: Reiter, Russel J, Tan, Dun Xian, Galano, Annia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Circadian Rhythm - drug effects
Circadian Rhythm - physiology
Free Radicals - metabolism
Humans
Melatonin - chemistry
Melatonin - pharmacology
Oxidative Stress - drug effects
Oxidative Stress - physiology
Signal Transduction - drug effects
Treatment Outcome
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Melatonin is a small, highly conserved indole with numerous receptor-mediated and receptor-independent actions. Receptor-dependent functions include circadian rhythm regulation, sleep, and cancer inhibition. The receptor-independent actions relate to melatonin's ability to function in the detoxification of free radicals, thereby protecting critical molecules from the destructive effects of oxidative stress under conditions of ischemia/reperfusion injury (stroke, heart attack), ionizing radiation, and drug toxicity, among others. Melatonin has numerous applications in physiology and medicine.
ISSN:1548-9213
1548-9221
DOI:10.1152/physiol.00011.2014