Effect of melatonin on the oxidative stress in erythrocytes of healthy young and elderly subjects*

Abstract

The disturbances in pro- and antioxidant balance may play an important role in the pathomechanism of aging. The pineal hormone melatonin, which exerts effective antioxidative properties, is suggested to be involved in the aging process. The aim of this study was to compare the oxidative stress in erythrocytes of healthy young adults and elderly people, and to determine the influence of melatonin supplementation on measured parameters in both examined groups. The malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione levels as well as Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD-1), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities in erythrocytes and morning serum melatonin concentration in 14 healthy young adults and 14 healthy elderly people at baseline and after the 30th day of melatonin (5 mg daily) supplementation were determined. A significant age effect on increasing the MDA level and decreasing SOD-1, GSH-Px and GR activities as well as melatonin concentration was observed. Melatonin supplementation resulted in a significant increase in melatonin concentration, SOD-1 and GR activities and a decrease in the MDA level in both examined groups. These data indicate an age-related augmentation of oxidative stress in erythrocytes and the improvement of erythrocytic antioxidative defense by melatonin administration. These results might suggest melatonin supplementation to prevent age-related diseases and to prolong the lifespan and improve the quality of life of elderly people.

Reduced extracellular phagocyte oxidative activity, antioxidant level changes and increased oxidative damage in healthy human blood as a function of age

“…Increased (Ho et al 2005;Ozturk and Gumuslu 2004;Rizvi and Maurya 2007), decreased (KedzioraKornatowska et al 2007;Bolzan et al 1997) or even normal (Bogdanska et al 2003;Kasapoglu and Ozben 2001) CuZn SOD activity in erythrocytes with age have been reported. Similar data on increased (Ho et al 2005;Rizvi andMaurya 2007, Ozturk andGumuslu 2004;Bolzan et al 1997), decreased (Volkovova et al 1996;Kedziora-Kornatowska et al 2007) or unchanged (Bogdanska et al 2003, Kasapoglu andOzben 2001;Bolzan et al 1997) erythrocyte CTS and GSHPx activities have also been published. Data have been reported about significantly decreased plasma concentrations of the extracellular SOD with age (Di Massimo et al 2006).…”

The effects of melatonin on the oxidants and antioxidants in the pancreatic tissue during the aging process

“…Melatonin; antioksidan ve radikal süpürücü etkisini, genç sıçanlar ile karşılaştırıldığında, yaşlı sı-çanlarda daha belirgin olarak göstermektedir [27]. Kornatowska ve ark.…”

“…çalışmalarında genç ve orta yaşlı sıçanlar intra abdominal yağ, plazma insülin ve leptin düzeyleri bakımından araştırılmıştır. Yaşa bağlı olarak bu parametreler artarken; melatonin düzeyi azalmıştır [27]. Genç gruba melatonin uygulanması yukarıdaki parametreler üzerinde etkili olmaz iken; orta yaşlı sıçanlara melatonin uygulanması, azalmış melatonin düzeyini artırmış ve bu parametreleri azaltarak etkili olmuştur.…”

Melatonin and tryptophan counteract lipid peroxidation and modulate superoxide dismutase activity in ringdove heterophils in vivo. Effect of antigen-induced activation and age

“…Also, the elevation of SOD activity after latex bead exposure was not as pronounced as that obtained in young birds. One reason for this could be the SOD reduction observed in aged individuals (Bolzán et al 1997;Inal et al 2001;Kedziora-Kornatowska et al 2007), although other causes should not be ruled out. For example, Fig.…”