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  1. Singh HJ, Saleh HI, Gupalo S, Omar E
    Sheng Li Xue Bao, 2013 Apr 25;65(2):149-57.
    PMID: 23598870
    Although melatonin supplementation is known to influence numerous physiological functions, little is however known of its effects on pregnancy outcome. This study investigated the effects of melatonin supplementation on pregnancy outcome in Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats aged 12-13 weeks. Upon confirmation of proestrus, each female rat was housed overnight with a male of the same strain. On the next morning, following confirmation of mating (vaginal smear), WKY female rats were isolated into individual metabolic cages and given 0, 25, 50 or 100 mg/kg per day of melatonin in drinking water from day 1 of pregnancy to day 21 postpartum. SD females were given 0 or 100 mg/kg per day of melatonin. Maternal weight, duration of pregnancy, litter size, birth weight and body weight of pups up to day 42, and pup mortality were recorded. Data were analyzed using ANOVA for repeated measures. Compared to controls, maternal weight gain during pregnancy was significantly lower in melatonin-supplemented dams (P < 0.01). Litter size was significantly smaller in melatonin-supplemented dams (P < 0.01). Mean birth weight of pups was significantly lower only in pups of dams given 100 mg/kg per day of melatonin (P < 0.001). Mean body weight of pups of dams given melatonin was significantly lower than controls (P < 0.01). Pup mortalities were 9.5% and 21.6% in WKY dams given 25 and 100 mg/kg per day of melatonin respectively, and all pup deaths occurred after day 21 of weaning. The results suggest that melatonin supplementation during antenatal and postpartum period appears to adversely affect litter size, pup growth and mortality in WKY and SD rats. The precise mechanism causing the death is not clear.
    Matched MeSH terms: Melatonin/pharmacology*
  2. Tan HY, Ng KY, Koh RY, Chye SM
    Cell Mol Neurobiol, 2020 Jan;40(1):25-51.
    PMID: 31435851 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-019-00724-1
    The progressive loss of structure and functions of neurons, including neuronal death, is one of the main factors leading to poor quality of life. Promotion of functional recovery of neuron after injury is a great challenge in neuroregenerative studies. Melatonin, a hormone is secreted by pineal gland and has antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties. Besides that, melatonin has high cell permeability and is able to cross the blood-brain barrier. Apart from that, there are no reported side effects associated with long-term usage of melatonin at both physiological and pharmacological doses. Thus, in this review article, we summarize the pharmacological effects of melatonin as neuroprotectant in central nervous system injury, ischemic-reperfusion injury, optic nerve injury, peripheral nerve injury, neurotmesis, axonotmesis, scar formation, cell degeneration, and apoptosis in rodent models.
    Matched MeSH terms: Melatonin/pharmacology
  3. Lim MS, Antony JJ, Islam SM, Suhana Z, Sreeramanan S
    Appl Biochem Biotechnol, 2017 Jan;181(1):15-31.
    PMID: 27461541 DOI: 10.1007/s12010-016-2196-3
    Dendrobium hybrid orchid is popular in orchid commercial industry due to its short life cycle and ability to produce various types of flower colours. This study was conducted to identify the morphological, biochemical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis in the Dendrobium sonia-28 orchid plants. In this study, 0.05 and 0.075 % of colchicine-treated Dendrobium sonia-28 (4-week-old culture) protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) were treated in different concentrations of melatonin (MEL) posttreatments (0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 5 and 10 μM). Morphological parameters such as number of shoots, growth index and number of PLBs were determined. In the 0.05 and 0.075 % of colchicine-treated PLBs which were posttreated with 0.05 μM MEL resulted in the highest value of the morphological parameters tested based on the number of shoots (84.5 and 96.67), growth index (16.94 and 12.15) and number of PLBs (126.5 and 162.33), respectively. SEM analysis of the 0.05 μM MEL posttreatment on both the colchicine-treated regenerated PLBs showed irregular cell lineages, and some damages occurred on the stomata. This condition might be due to the effect of plasmolyzing occurred in the cell causing irregular cell lineages.
    Matched MeSH terms: Melatonin/pharmacology
  4. Zakaria R, Ahmad AH, Othman Z
    Folia Biol. (Praha), 2016;62(5):181-187.
    PMID: 27978412
    Pineal melatonin biosynthesis is regulated by the circadian clock located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. Melatonin has been found to modulate the learning and memory process in human as well as in animals. Endogenous melatonin modulates the process of newly acquired information into long-term memory, while melatonin treatment has been found to reduce memory deficits in elderly people and in various animal models. However, the mechanisms mediating the enhancing effect of melatonin on memory remain elusive. This review intends to explore the possible mechanisms by looking at previous data on the effects of melatonin treatment on memory performance in rodents.
    Matched MeSH terms: Melatonin/pharmacology*
  5. Srinivasan V, Ahmad AH, Mohamed M, Zakaria R
    PMID: 22537380
    Malaria remains a global health problem affecting more than 515 million people all over the world including Malaysia. It is on the rise, even within unknown regions that previous to this were free of malaria. Although malaria eradication programs carried out by vector control programs are still effective, anti-malarial drugs are also used extensively for curtailing this disease. But resistance to the use of anti-malarial drugs is also increasing on a daily basis. With an increased understanding of mechanisms that cause growth, differentiation and development of malarial parasites in rodents and humans, new avenues of therapeutic approaches for controlling the growth, synchronization and development of malarial parasites are essential. Within this context, the recent discoveries related to IP3 interconnected signalling pathways, the release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores of Plasmodium, ubiquitin protease systems as a signalling pathway, and melatonin influencing the growth and differentiation of malarial parasites by its effects on these signalling pathways have opened new therapeutic avenues for arresting the growth and differentiation of malarial parasites. Indeed, the use of melatonin antagonist, luzindole, has inhibited the melatonin's effect on these signalling pathways and thereby has effectively reduced the growth and differentiation of malarial parasites. As Plasmodium has effective sensors which detect the nocturnal plasma melatonin concentrations, suppression of plasma melatonin levels with the use of bright light during the night or by anti-melatonergic drugs and by using anti-kinase drugs will help in eradicating malaria on a global level. A number of patients have been admitted with regards to the control and management of malarial growth. Patents related to the discovery of serpentine receptors on Plasmodium, essential for modulating intra parasitic melatonin levels, procedures for effective delivery of bright light to suppress plasma melatonin levels and thereby arresting the growth and elimination of malarial parasites from the blood of the host are all cited in the paper. The purpose of the paper is to highlight the importance of melatonin acting as a cue for Plasmodium faciparum growth and to discuss the ways of curbing the effects of melatonin on Plasmodium growth and for arresting its life cycle, as a method of eliminating the parasite from the host.
    Matched MeSH terms: Melatonin/pharmacology*
  6. Singh HJ, Keah LS, Kumar A, Sirajudeen KN
    Exp. Toxicol. Pathol., 2012 Nov;64(7-8):751-2.
    PMID: 21354772 DOI: 10.1016/j.etp.2011.01.011
    This report documents an incidental finding during a study investigating the effects of melatonin supplementation on the development of blood pressure in SHR. Administration of 10 mg/kg/day of melatonin in drinking water during pregnancy to Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) dams caused a loss of more than 50% of the pups by the age of three weeks and 95% by the age of 6 weeks. There was no maternal morbidity or mortality in the two strains or death of any of the SHR pups. No obvious physical defects were present but mean body weight was lower in the surviving WKY rats when compared to that of melatonin supplemented SHR or non-supplemented WKY pups. The reason for the high mortality in WKY pups is uncertain and appears to be strain if not batch specific. There is a need for caution in its use, particularly during pregnancy, and clearly necessitates more detailed studies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Melatonin/pharmacology
  7. Srinivasan V, Spence DW, Pandi-Perumal SR, Trakht I, Cardinali DP
    Integr Cancer Ther, 2008 Sep;7(3):189-203.
    PMID: 18815150 DOI: 10.1177/1534735408322846
    Melatonin is a phylogenetically well-preserved molecule with diverse physiological functions. In addition to its well-known regulatory control of the sleep/wake cycle, as well as circadian rhythms generally, melatonin is involved in immunomodulation, hematopoiesis, and antioxidative processes. Recent human and animal studies have now shown that melatonin also has important oncostatic properties. Both at physiological and pharmacological doses melatonin exerts growth inhibitory effects on breast cancer cell lines. In hepatomas, through its activation of MT1 and MT2 receptors, melatonin inhibits linoleic acid uptake, thereby preventing the formation of the mitogenic metabolite 1,3-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid. In animal model studies, melatonin has been shown to have preventative action against nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA)-induced liver cancer. Melatonin also inhibits the growth of prostate tumors via activation of MT1 receptors thereby inducing translocation of the androgen receptor to the cytoplasm and inhibition of the effect of endogenous androgens. There is abundant evidence indicating that melatonin is involved in preventing tumor initiation, promotion, and progression. The anticarcinogenic effect of melatonin on neoplastic cells relies on its antioxidant, immunostimulating, and apoptotic properties. Melatonin's oncostatic actions include the direct augmentation of natural killer (NK) cell activity, which increases immunosurveillance, as well as the stimulation of cytokine production, for example, of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-6, IL-12, and interferon (IFN)-gamma. In addition to its direct oncostatic action, melatonin protects hematopoietic precursors from the toxic effect of anticancer chemotherapeutic drugs. Melatonin secretion is impaired in patients suffering from breast cancer, endometrial cancer, or colorectal cancer. The increased incidence of breast cancer and colorectal cancer seen in nurses and other night shift workers suggests a possible link between diminished secretion of melatonin and increased exposure to light during nighttime. The physiological surge of melatonin at night is thus considered a "natural restraint" on tumor initiation, promotion, and progression.
    Matched MeSH terms: Melatonin/pharmacology*
  8. Almabhouh FA, Singh HJ
    Andrologia, 2018 Feb;50(1).
    PMID: 28497500 DOI: 10.1111/and.12814
    This study examines the effect of melatonin on leptin-induced changes in transition of histone to protamine in adult rats during spermatogenesis. Twelve-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomised into control, leptin-, leptin-melatonin-10-, leptin-melatonin-20- and melatonin-10-treated groups with six rats per group. Leptin was given via intraperitoneal injections (i.p.) daily for 42 days (60 μg/kg body weight). Rats in the leptin- and melatonin-treated groups were given either 10 or 20 mg day-1  kg-1 body weight of leptin in drinking water. Melatonin-10-treated group received only 10 mg of melatonin day-1  kg-1 body weight in drinking water for 42 days. Control rats received 0.1 ml of 0.9% saline. Upon completion of the treatment, sperm count, morphology and histone-to-protamine ratio were estimated. Gene expression of HAT, HDAC1, HDAC2, H2B, H2A, H1, PRM1, PRM2, TNP1 and TNP2 was determined. Data were analysed using ANOVA. Sperm count was significantly lower, whereas the fraction of spermatozoa with abnormal morphology, the ratio of histone-to-protamine transition and the expressions of HAT, HDAC1, HDAC2, H2B, H2A, H1, PRM1 were significantly higher in leptin-treated rats than those in controls or melatonin-treated rats. It appears that exogenous leptin administration adversely affects histone-to-protamine transition, which is prevented by concurrent administration of melatonin.
    Matched MeSH terms: Melatonin/pharmacology*
  9. Lee SK, Sirajudeen KN, Sundaram A, Zakaria R, Singh HJ
    J Physiol Biochem, 2011 Jun;67(2):249-57.
    PMID: 21210316 DOI: 10.1007/s13105-010-0070-2
    Although melatonin lowers blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), its effect following antenatal and postpartum supplementation on the subsequent development of hypertension in SHR pups remains unknown. To investigate this, SHR dams were given melatonin in drinking water (10 mg/kg body weight/day) from day 1 of pregnancy until day 21 postpartum. After weaning, a group of male pups continued to receive melatonin till the age of 16 weeks (Mel-SHR), while no further melatonin was given to another group of male pups (Maternal-Mel-SHR). Controls received plain drinking water. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured at 4, 6, 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age, after which the kidneys were collected for analysis of antioxidant enzyme profiles. SBP was significantly lower till the age of 8 weeks in Maternal-Mel-SHR and Mel-SHR than that in the controls, after which no significant difference was evident in SBP between the controls and Maternal-Mel-SHR. SBP in Mel-SHR was lower than that in controls and Maternal-Mel-SHR at 12 and 16 weeks of age. Renal glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione s-transferase (GST) activities, levels of total glutathione and relative GPx-1 protein were significantly higher in Mel-SHR. GPx protein was however significantly higher in Mel-SHR. No significant differences were evident between the three groups in the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione reductase. In conclusion, it appears that while antenatal and postpartum melatonin supplementation decreases the rate of rise in blood pressure in SHR offspring, it however does not alter the tendency of offspring of SHR to develop hypertension.
    Matched MeSH terms: Melatonin/pharmacology
  10. Almabhouh FA, Osman K, Ibrahim SF, Gupalo S, Gnanou J, Ibrahim E, et al.
    Asian J Androl, 2016 10 18;19(6):647-654.
    PMID: 27748315 DOI: 10.4103/1008-682X.183379
    This study examined the effects of melatonin on leptin-induced changes in sperm parameters in adult rats. Five groups of Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with either leptin or leptin and melatonin or melatonin for 6 weeks. Leptin was given daily via the intraperitoneal route (60 μg kg-1 body weight) and melatonin was given in drinking water (10 mg kg-1 or 20 mg kg-1 body weight per day). Upon completion, sperm count, sperm morphology, 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine, Comet assay, TUNEL assay, gene expression profiles of antioxidant enzymes, respiratory chain reaction enzymes, DNA damage, and apoptosis genes were estimated. Data were analyzed using ANOVA. Sperm count was significantly lower whereas the fraction of sperm with abnormal morphology, the level of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine, and sperm DNA fragmentation were significantly higher in rats treated with leptin only. Microarray analysis revealed significant upregulation of apoptosis-inducing factor, histone acetyl transferase, respiratory chain reaction enzyme, cell necrosis and DNA repair genes, and downregulation of antioxidant enzyme genes in leptin-treated rats. Real-time polymerase chain reaction showed significant decreases in glutathione peroxidase 1 expression with increases in the expression of apoptosis-inducing factor and histone acetyl transferase in leptin-treated rats. There was no change in the gene expression of caspase-3 (CASP-3). In conclusion, the adverse effects of leptin on sperm can be prevented by concurrent melatonin administration.
    Matched MeSH terms: Melatonin/pharmacology*
  11. Tiong YL, Ng KY, Koh RY, Ponnudurai G, Chye SM
    Horm Mol Biol Clin Investig, 2020 Jun 29;41(4).
    PMID: 32598308 DOI: 10.1515/hmbci-2020-0009
    BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the major cause of mortality in diabetic patients. Evidence suggests that hyperglycemia in diabetic patients contributes to increased risk of CVD. This study is to investigate the therapeutic effects of melatonin on glucose-treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and provide insights on the underlying mechanisms.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cell viability was determined using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and membrane potential was detected using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate and 5,5',6,6'-tetrachloro-1,1',3,3'-tetraethylbenzimidazolcarbocyanine iodide (JC-1) dye staining, respectively. While, cell apoptosis was determined by Annexin-V staining and protein expression was measured using Western blot.

    RESULTS: Our results suggested that melatonin inhibited glucose-induced ROS elevation, mitochondria dysfunction and apoptosis on HUVEC. Melatonin inhibited glucose-induced HUVEC apoptosis via PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Activation of Akt further activated BcL-2 pathway through upregulation of Mcl-1 expression and downregulation Bax expression in order to inhibit glucose-induced HUVEC apoptosis. Besides that, melatonin promoted downregulation of oxLDL/LOX-1 in order to inhibit glucose-induced HUVEC apoptosis.

    CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our results suggested that melatonin exerted vasculoprotective effects against glucose-induced apoptosis in HUVEC through PI3K/Akt, Bcl-2 and oxLDL/LOX-1 signaling pathways.

    Matched MeSH terms: Melatonin/pharmacology*
  12. Loganathan K, Moriya S, Parhar IS
    Zebrafish, 2018 10;15(5):473-483.
    PMID: 30102584 DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2018.1594
    Ambient light and temperature affect reproductive function by regulating kisspeptin and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in vertebrates. Melatonin and melatonin receptors, as well as the two-pore domain K+ channel-related K+ (TREK) channels, are affected by light and/or temperature; therefore, these molecules could modulate kisspeptin and GnRH against ambient light and temperature. In this study, we investigated the effect of light and temperature, which affect melatonin levels in gene expression levels of TREK channels, kisspeptin, and GnRH. We first investigated the effects of different light and temperature conditions on brain melatonin concentrations by ELISA. Fish were exposed to either constant darkness, constant light, high temperature (35°C), or low temperature (20°C) for 72 h. Brain melatonin levels were significantly high under constant darkness and high temperature. We further investigated the effects of high brain melatonin levels by constant darkness and high temperature on gene expression levels of melatonin receptors (mt1, mt2, and mel1c), TREK channels (trek1b, trek2a, and trek2b), gnrh3, and kiss2 in the adult zebrafish brain by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Fish were exposed to constant darkness or elevated temperatures (35°C) for 72 h. trek2a, kiss2, and gnrh3 levels were increased under constant darkness. High temperature decreased gene expression levels of mt1, mt2, mel1c, and gnrh3 in the preoptic area, whereas other genes remained unchanged. Melatonin receptors, TREK channels, gnrh3, and kiss2 responded differently under high melatonin conditions. The melatonin receptors and the TREK channels could play roles in the regulation of reproduction by environmental cues, especially ambient light and temperature.
    Matched MeSH terms: Melatonin/pharmacology*
  13. Wong KC, Sankaran S, Jayapalan JJ, Subramanian P, Abdul-Rahman PS
    Arch Insect Biochem Physiol, 2021 May;107(1):e21785.
    PMID: 33818826 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21785
    Mutant lethal giant larvae (lgl) flies (Drosophila melanogaster) are known to develop epithelial tumors with invasive characteristics. The present study has been conducted to investigate the influence of melatonin (0.025 mM) on behavioral responses of lgl mutant flies as well as on biochemical indices (redox homeostasis, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, transaminases, and minerals) in hemolymph, and head and intestinal tissues. Behavioral abnormalities were quantitatively observed in lgl flies but were found normalized among melatonin-treated lgl flies. Significantly decreased levels of lipid peroxidation products and antioxidants involved in redox homeostasis were observed in hemolymph and tissues of lgl flies, but had restored close to normalcy in melatonin-treated flies. Carbohydrates including glucose, trehalose, and glycogen were decreased and increased in the hemolymph and tissues of lgl and melatonin-treated lgl flies, respectively. Key enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism showed a significant increment in their levels in lgl mutants but had restored close to wild-type baseline levels in melatonin-treated flies. Variables of lipid metabolism showed significantly inverse levels in hemolymph and tissues of lgl flies, while normalization of most of these variables was observed in melatonin-treated mutants. Lipase, chitinase, transaminases, and alkaline phosphatase showed an increment in their activities and minerals exhibited decrement in lgl flies; reversal of changes was observed under melatonin treatment. The impairment of cognition, disturbance of redox homeostasis and metabolic reprogramming in lgl flies, and restoration of normalcy in all these cellular and behavioral processes indicate that melatonin could act as oncostatic and cytoprotective agents in Drosophila.
    Matched MeSH terms: Melatonin/pharmacology*
  14. Chok KC, Koh RY, Ng MG, Ng PY, Chye SM
    Molecules, 2021 Aug 20;26(16).
    PMID: 34443626 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26165038
    Even though an increasing number of anticancer treatments have been discovered, the mortality rates of colorectal cancer (CRC) have still been high in the past few years. It has been discovered that melatonin has pro-apoptotic properties and counteracts inflammation, proliferation, angiogenesis, cell invasion, and cell migration. In previous studies, melatonin has been shown to have an anticancer effect in multiple tumors, including CRC, but the underlying mechanisms of melatonin action on CRC have not been fully explored. Thus, in this study, we investigated the role of autophagy pathways in CRC cells treated with melatonin. In vitro CRC cell models, HT-29, SW48, and Caco-2, were treated with melatonin. CRC cell death, oxidative stress, and autophagic vacuoles formation were induced by melatonin in a dose-dependent manner. Several autophagy pathways were examined, including the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, 5'-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), serine/threonine-specific protein kinase (Akt), and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways. Our results showed that melatonin significantly induced autophagy via the ER stress pathway in CRC cells. In conclusion, melatonin demonstrated a potential as an anticancer drug for CRC.
    Matched MeSH terms: Melatonin/pharmacology*
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