Jajte J, Zmyślony M
Zakładu Zagrozeń Fizycznych, Instytut Medycyny Pracy, Lodzi.
Med Pr. 2000;51(1):51-7.
Melatonin is a neurohormone produced by the pineal gland. It has been recently found that it is also an antioxidant and a free radical scavenger. Melatonin was documented to be a direct trap of hydroxyl and peroxyl radicals. Therefore, this hormone could protect cells, tissues and organs against oxidative (free radicals) damage (DNA, protein, lipids). It has been suggested that noxious effects of ELF exposure (cancer or immunological disturbances) could be due to increased the concentration of free radicals induced by magnetic field. This is also leading to a hypothesis that melatonin suppression (by electromagnetic fields) in humans may increase the probability of mutagenic and carcinogenic risks. The future experiments, in vitro and in vivo, should provide an answer to the question on what is the real role of melatonin in the molecular (free radicals) mechanisms of weak magnetic fields.
褪黑素是一种由松果体分泌的神经激素。最近发现它也是一种抗氧化剂和自由基清除剂。褪黑素被证明是羟基自由基和过氧自由基的直接捕获剂。因此，这种激素可以保护细胞、组织和器官免受氧化（自由基）损伤（DNA、蛋白质、脂质）。有人提出，极低频电磁场暴露的有害影响（癌症或免疫紊乱）可能是由于磁场诱导的自由基浓度增加所致。这也引发了一种假设，即人体中褪黑素（因电磁场）受到抑制可能会增加诱变和致癌风险。未来的体外和体内实验应该能回答褪黑素在弱磁场分子（自由基）机制中的真正作用是什么这个问题。
