title: Melatonin and magnetic fields.
abstract: There is public health concern raised by epidemiological studies indicating that extremely low frequency electric and magnetic fields generated by electric power distribution systems in the environment may be hazardous. Possible carcinogenic effects of magnetic field in combination with suggested oncostatic action of melatonin lead to the hypothesis that the primary effects of electric and magnetic fields exposure is a reduction of melatonin synthesis which, in turn, may promote cancer growth. In this review the data on the influence of magnetic fields on melatonin synthesis, both in the animals and humans, are briefly presented and discussed.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Electron Microscopy, Chair of Pathomorphology, Medical University of Lodz. Poland. karasek@csk.am.lodz.pl
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karasek
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lerchl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D008550:Melatonin