title: Melatonin protects against lipid peroxidation induced by delta-aminolevulinic acid in rat cerebellum, cortex and hippocampus.
abstract: The in vitro and in vivo effect of melatonin on delta-aminolevulinic acid-induced lipid peroxidation in rat cerebellum, cortex and hippocampus was determined. The concentration of malonaldehyde and 4-hydroxyalkenals was assayed as an index of induced membrane oxidative damage. The rise in malonaldehyde+4-hydroxyalkenals concentrations induced by delta-aminolevulinic acid in cerebellar homogenates was concentration-dependent (P < 0.001) and also time-dependent in cerebellar, cortical and hippocampal homogenates (P < 0.01). In vitro melatonin and vitamin E protected, in a concentration-dependent manner, against delta-aminolevulinic acid-induced lipid peroxidation in cortical, cerebellar and hippocampal homogenates. In in vivo experiments it was demonstrated that delta-aminolevulinic acid-induced lipid peroxidation (40 mg/kg) in cerebellum and hippocampus was reduced by acute melatonin (10 mg/kg) treatment (P < 0.05). The results show that both in vitro and in vivo melatonin confers protection against delta-aminolevulinic acid-induced oxidative toxicity in brain regions. The findings suggest that melatonin may be useful in reducing neural damage in individuals suffering from acute intermittent porphyria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio 78284-7762, USA.
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Carneiro
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Reiter
mesh_terms: D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D014810:Vitamin E; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid; D008550:Melatonin