Odaci Ersan, Kaplan Suleyman
Department of Histology and Embryology, Karadeniz Technical University School of Medicine, 61080 Trabzon, Turkey.
Int Rev Neurobiol. 2009;87:317-35. doi: 10.1016/S0074-7742(09)87016-5.
Melatonin is a widely distributed and important signal molecule that occurs in unicellular organisms, plants, and fungi in addition to animals and humans. It is the main hormone of the pineal gland and its synthesis occurs mainly in this gland. It has free radical scavenging and antioxidative properties and shows clinical antibacterial and analgesic effects. By means of these properties, it is able to protect cells, tissues, and organs against oxidative damage from free radicals. Recently, widespread interest has grown among researchers regarding the apparent protective effects of melatonin following traumatic events to peripheral nerves, especially the sciatic nerve and its pathological conditions, as melatonin administration could be beneficial following surgery. Although there are great numbers of studies that have mentioned protective effects of melatonin on peripheral nerve pathologies, there are also some studies that report toxic effects of melatonin on peripheral nerves. This paper reviews the available literature in terms of both the beneficial and the toxic effects of melatonin on peripheral nerves. Short descriptions of the structure of pineal gland and synthesis and secretion of melatonin are also given.
褪黑素是一种广泛分布且重要的信号分子，除动物和人类外，它还存在于单细胞生物、植物和真菌中。它是松果体的主要激素，其合成主要发生在该腺体中。它具有清除自由基和抗氧化特性，并具有临床抗菌和镇痛作用。通过这些特性，它能够保护细胞、组织和器官免受自由基的氧化损伤。最近，研究人员对褪黑素在创伤性事件后对周围神经，尤其是坐骨神经及其病理状况的明显保护作用产生了广泛兴趣，因为褪黑素给药在手术后可能有益。尽管有大量研究提到褪黑素对周围神经病理的保护作用，但也有一些研究报告了褪黑素对周围神经的毒性作用。本文从褪黑素对周围神经的有益和毒性作用两方面综述了现有文献。还简要描述了松果体的结构以及褪黑素的合成和分泌。
