Description

Melatonin, commonly called the sleep hormone, does much more than regulate sleep cycles. Melatonin plays a significant role in cellular oxygen homeostasis and mitochondrial function as a powerful natural antioxidant.

How melatonin interacts with cellular oxygen:

• Antioxidant Properties
  • Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant that scavenges reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), reducing oxidative stress in cells. It enhances the activity of antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase.
• Mitochondrial Protection
  • Melatonin supports mitochondrial function by reducing oxidative damage and improving mitochondrial respiration efficiency. This helps maintain adequate oxygen utilization and ATP production.
• Regulation of Hypoxia-Inducible Factors (HIFs)
  • Melatonin influences cellular responses to low oxygen (hypoxia) by regulating HIFs, which are crucial for adapting to oxygen fluctuations in tissues. This can impact angiogenesis, metabolism, and cell survival under hypoxic conditions.
• Reduction of Hypoxia-Induced Damage
  • In conditions like ischemia-reperfusion injury, melatonin mitigates damage by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, improving oxygen delivery to tissues.
• Promotion of Efficient Oxygen Use
  • By stabilizing mitochondrial function, melatonin helps optimize oxygen consumption, preventing excessive ROS production that can lead to cellular damage.

Other Important Properties:

• Chelation of transition metals:
  • Melatonin can bind to and chelate transition metals, such as iron and copper, which can generate free radicals.
• Upregulation of antioxidant enzymes:
  • Melatonin can stimulate the production of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase.
• Regulation of gene expression:
  • Melatonin can regulate the expression of genes involved in antioxidant defense.

Top Uses:

• oxidative stress
• inflammation
• cellular apoptosis
• tissue function restoration
• mitochondria
• hypoxia/reperfusion (hyperoxia)

References:

• Reiter RJ, Mayo JC, Tan DX, Sainz RM, Alatorre-Jimenez M, Qin L. Melatonin as an antioxidant: under promises but over delivers. J Pineal Res. 2016 Oct;61(3):253-78. doi: 10.1111/jpi.12360. Epub 2016 Sep 1. PMID: 27500468.
  •  Article
• Tarocco, A., Caroccia, N., Morciano, G. et al. Melatonin as a master regulator of cell death and inflammation: molecular mechanisms and clinical implications for newborn care. Cell Death Dis 10, 317 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-019-1556-7
  • Article
• Zhang, H.-M. and Zhang, Y. (2014), Melatonin: a well-documented antioxidant with conditional pro-oxidant actions. J. Pineal Res., 57: 131-146.
• Manchester, L.C., Coto-Montes, A., Boga, J.A., Andersen, L.P.H., Zhou, Z., Galano, A., Vriend, J., Tan, D.-X. and Reiter, R.J. (2015), Melatonin: an ancient molecule that makes oxygen metabolically tolerable. J. Pineal Res., 59: 403-419.
• Tengattini, S., Reiter, R.J., Tan, D.-X., Terron, M.P., Rodella, L.F. and Rezzani, R. (2008), Cardiovascular diseases: protective effects of melatonin. Journal of Pineal Research, 44: 16-25.