title: Melatonin and glucocorticoid hormones.
abstract: The synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (2.5, 5 or 10 micrograms/day), administered in the drinking water for 7 days, significantly reduced body weight gain, thymus weight and adrenal weight in female rats. Concomitant administration of melatonin (0.2 or 1.0 mg, i.p.) at either 8.00 or 16.00 h did not alter the glucocorticoid effect on any of these parameters. In competition binding studies melatonin did not compete with 3H-dexamethasone for binding to glucocorticoid receptors in thymus cytosol from adrenalectomized rats. By these indices, therefore, melatonin does not appear to be a glucocorticoid antagonist.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Centre, Prince Henry's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Familari
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Funder
mesh_terms: D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000818:Animals; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D008550:Melatonin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D003907:Dexamethasone; D008550:Melatonin