title: Melatonin: exceeding expectations.
abstract: Melatonin is a small, highly conserved indole with numerous receptor-mediated and receptor-independent actions. Receptor-dependent functions include circadian rhythm regulation, sleep, and cancer inhibition. The receptor-independent actions relate to melatonin's ability to function in the detoxification of free radicals, thereby protecting critical molecules from the destructive effects of oxidative stress under conditions of ischemia/reperfusion injury (stroke, heart attack), ionizing radiation, and drug toxicity, among others. Melatonin has numerous applications in physiology and medicine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, UT Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas; and reiter@uthscsa.edu.
authors.forename: Russel J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Reiter
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, UT Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas; and.
authors.forename: Dun Xian
authors.initials: DX
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Quimica, Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Mexico D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: Annia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008550:Melatonin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005609:Free Radicals; D008550:Melatonin