title: [The effect of melatonin on the indices of biological age, on longevity and on the development of spontaneous tumors in mice].
abstract: Fifty female CBA mice were given melatonin with drinking water (20 mg/l) for 5 consecutive days monthly, beginning from the age of 6 months, until natural death. Another 50 intact mice were used as controls. Melatonin failed to significantly influence body weight or food consumption. Age-related switching-off of estrus function was delayed, body temperature decreased. Somewhat decreased motor activity did not affect physical one or endurance. Increase in life span led to higher spontaneous tumor incidence. Another experiment using 20 animals of the same line showed melatonin to inhibit free-radical processes. A conclusion was drawn that caution should be exercised before melatonin is recommended for long-term administration as a geroprotector.
authors.affiliation: N. N. Petrov Research Institute of Oncology, Ministry of Health of the RF, St. Petersburg.
authors.forename: V N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Anisimov
authors.forename: N Iu
authors.initials: NIu
authors.lastname: Zavarzina
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Zabezhinskiĭ
authors.forename: I G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Popovich
authors.forename: I V
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Anikin
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Zimina
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Solov'ev
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Shtylik
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Arutiunian
authors.forename: T I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Oparina
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Prokopenko
authors.forename: V Kh
authors.initials: VKh
authors.lastname: Khavinson
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects; D004971:Estrus / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D008136:Longevity / Q000187:drug effects*; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D005609:Free Radicals; D008550:Melatonin