Reiter R J
Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio 78284-7762, USA.
Neurochem Int. 1995 Dec;27(6):453-60. doi: 10.1016/0197-0186(95)80002-3.
This paper summarizes the recent findings which show that the neural hormone melatonin is a free radical scavenger and general antioxidant. When compared with other antioxidants melatonin seems to have greater efficacy in protecting against cellular oxidative stress. These findings illustrate that melatonin preserves macromolecules including DNA, protein and lipid from oxidative damage following the administration of the chemical carcinogen, safrole, after exposure to ionizing radiation, following glutathione depletion, and after administration of the free radical generating herbicide, paraquat. In vitro evidence shows that melatonin is a potent scavenger of the highly toxic hydroxyl radical and in vitro evidence suggests that melatonin is an important and powerful antioxidant. Considering its high lipophilicity and its non-toxic nature as well as its ability to readily cross the blood-brain barrier, the neurohormone melatonin may prove to be an effective and important molecule in the antioxidative defense system, especially in the central nervous system. Besides the ease with which melatonin enters the brain, neurons seem to accumulate readily this hormone.
本文总结了近期的研究发现，这些发现表明神经激素褪黑素是一种自由基清除剂和一般抗氧化剂。与其他抗氧化剂相比，褪黑素在抵御细胞氧化应激方面似乎具有更高的功效。这些发现表明，在给予化学致癌物黄樟素后、暴露于电离辐射后、谷胱甘肽耗竭后以及给予产生自由基的除草剂百草枯后，褪黑素能保护包括DNA、蛋白质和脂质在内的大分子免受氧化损伤。体外证据表明褪黑素是高毒性羟基自由基的有效清除剂，体外证据还表明褪黑素是一种重要且强大的抗氧化剂。鉴于其高亲脂性、无毒性质以及易于穿过血脑屏障的能力，神经激素褪黑素可能被证明是抗氧化防御系统中一种有效且重要的分子，尤其是在中枢神经系统中。除了褪黑素易于进入大脑外，神经元似乎还能迅速积累这种激素。
