title: Melatonin ameliorates tacrolimus (FK-506)'s induced immunosupressive effect in rat liver.
abstract: Tacrolimus (FK-506) is a powerful immunosuppressive agent that modulates neutrophil infiltration during inflammation. In this study, we sought to investigate the effects of melatonin on malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), interleukin (IL)-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) to oppose the negative effects of the immunosupressant FK-506. Group A was sham; group B, tacrolimus (1 mg/kg/d subcutaneously); and Group C received tacrolimus (1 mg/kg/d plus melatonin). All tissues underwent histopathologic examination. The MDA level in group B increased 53% compared with the sham group (P < .001); in group C, the MDA level decreased 16% compared with group B (P > .05). While TNF-alpha in group B increased 68.8% compared with the sham group (P < .001) and in group C it decreased 63.5% compared with the sham group. The IL-6 level in group B increased 81%; in group C, it decreased 13% compared with group B. NO levels in group B increased 48% compared with the sham group and increased by 15% in group B compared with group C. Thus melatonin may serve as a protective agent against the side effects of tacrolimus.
authors: Inonu University, T Biyokimya, Turgut Ozal Medical Center, Malatya, Turkey. abkarabulut@inonu.edu.tr
authors: A B
authors: AB
authors: Karabulut
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Ara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D008550:Melatonin; D016559:Tacrolimus