- 作者: Russel J. Reiter; Dun-xian Tan; Carmen Osuna; Eloisa Gitto
- 作者服務機構: Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Tex., USA
- 中文摘要: --
- 英文摘要: Melatonin was discovered to be a direct free radicalscav-enger less than 10 years ago. Besides its ability to direct-ly neutralize a number of free radicals and reactive oxy-gen and nitrogen species, it stimulates several antioxida-tive enzymes which increase its efficiency as an antioxi-dant. In terms of direct free radical scavenging, melato-nin interacts with the highly toxic hydroxyl radical with arate constant equivalent to that of other highly efficienthydroxyl radical scavengers. Additionally, melatonin re-portedly neutralizes hydrogen peroxide, singlet oxygen,peroxynitrite anion, nitric oxide and hypochlorous acid.The following antioxidative enzymes are also stimulatedby melatonin: superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxi-dase and glutathione reductase. Melatonin has beenwidely used as a protective agent against a wide varietyof processes and agents that damage tissues via freeradical mechanisms.
- 中文關鍵字: --
- 英文關鍵字: --