<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Melatonin is a hormone that has many body functions and, for several decades, its antioxidant potential has been increasingly talked about. There is a relationship between failure in melatonin production in the pineal gland, an insufficient supply of this hormone to the body, and the occurrence of free radical etiology diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and others. Despite the development of molecular biology, numerous <italic>in vitro</italic> and <italic>in vivo</italic> studies, the exact mechanism of melatonin antioxidant activity is still unknown. Nowadays, the use of melatonin supplementation is more and more common, not only to prevent insomnia, but also to slow down the aging process and provide protection against diseases. The aim of this study is to get acquainted with current reports on melatonin, antioxidative mechanisms and their importance in diseases of free radical etiology.</p></abstract>

Melatonin is a hormone that has many body functions and, for several decades, its antioxidant potential has been increasingly talked about. There is a relationship between failure in melatonin production in the pineal gland, an insufficient supply of this hormone to the body, and the occurrence of free radical etiology diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and others. Despite the development of molecular biology, numerous in vitro and in vivo studies, the exact mechanism of melatonin antioxidant activity is still unknown. Nowadays, the use of melatonin supplementation is more and more common, not only to prevent insomnia, but also to slow down the aging process and provide protection against diseases. The aim of this study is to get acquainted with current reports on melatonin, antioxidative mechanisms and their importance in diseases of free radical etiology.

Melatonin as a powerful antioxidant

Department of Pathobiochemistry and Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy

Acta Pharmaceutica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":"Melatonin as a powerful antioxidant"}

Melatonin is a hormone that has many body functions and, for several decades, its antioxidant potential has been increasingly talked about. There is a...

Melatonin as a powerful antioxidant

Published Online: Dec 31, 2020

Page range: 335 - 354

Accepted: Sep 18, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/acph-2021-0027

Keywords
melatonin, antioxidants, lipid peroxidation, free radicals, oxidative stress

© 2021 Agnieszka Chrustek et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Melatonin as a powerful antioxidant

Published Online: Dec 31, 2020

Page range: 335 - 354

Accepted: Sep 18, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/acph-2021-0027

Keywordsmelatonin, antioxidants, lipid peroxidation, free radicals, oxidative stress

© 2021 Agnieszka Chrustek et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
melatonin, antioxidants, lipid peroxidation, free radicals, oxidative stress