Abstract
Melatonin’s pleiotropic actions begin from controlling day/night cycle and hypothalamic/pituitary
axes to, for example, vasomotor effects, immunomodulation, antilipid effects, modulation
of endocrine functions, direct and indirect antiapoptotic effects, interference with
nitric oxide signaling, other antiexcitatory actions through ion channels and neurotransmitter
systems, and most prominently the antioxidant activities which include expression
of genes relevant to redox metabolism, including modulation of mitochondrial electron
flux. Because of ubiquitous nature of the melatonin receptor, melatonin serves as
pleiotropic molecule and its multiplicity of action goes beyond the established antioxidant
activities. Melatonin exhibits pleiotropic effects essentially through four different
mechanisms: binding to membrane receptors; nuclear receptors; intracellular proteins,
and a receptor-independent radical scavenging function. The present review highlights
some of the important pleiotropic effects of melatonin in human body.
Key words
Pleiotropic effects - melatonin - antioxidant activities - central nervous system
