Potential radioprotective agents. 1. Homologs of melatonin.

Homologs of melatonin were prepared by acylation of 5-methoxytryptamine with the appropriate acid chloride or anhydride. The products were administered as solutions or suspensions in soybean oil by ip injection to mice 30 min prior to irradiation with 950 cGy of 6 mV photons. Protection was achieved with all compounds, survival rate being maximal for mice treated with the hexanoic amide 5 and the octanoic amide 6.