Melatonin: Lowering the High Price of Free Radicals.
The endogenous antioxidative defense system reduces molecular toxicity of oxygen and nitrogen-based reactive species. Melatonin is an efficient direct and indirect antioxidant. It detoxifies the highly reactive hydroxyl radical and neutralizes other toxic species, including singlet oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide, and peroxynitrite anion, and stimulates several antioxidative enzymes.
Reiter
Russel J.
RJ
Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr., San Antonio, Texas 78284-7762.