title: Effect of melatonin on biochemical variables of the blood in dairy cows.
abstract: In order to examine the effect of exogenous melatonin on selected biochemical variables of the blood in ruminants, dairy cows were given the pineal gland hormone in the dose of 0.1 mg/kg body weight. One and four hours after melatonin administration blood samples were collected from the cows in the control and the treated group in order to determine the levels of glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, triglycerides, free fatty acids, as well as the activities of alanine and aspartate aminotransferase. The pineal gland hormone caused a significant increase in the levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides, slight increases in glucose and insulin levels, and a significant decrease in the concentration of free fatty acids. Melatonin did not exert an effect on the activity of liver enzymes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Management, August Cieszkowski Agricultural University, ul Wołyńska 33, 60-637 Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Darul
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kruczyńska
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002417:Cattle / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003612:Dairying; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007774:Lactation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D008550:Melatonin