Melatonin / toxicity Cancer Research Results

MEL, Melatonin: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:
Hormone in the body made by pineal gland.
• Melatonin is a potent antioxidant. It neutralizes reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), which are involved in DNA damage and cancer progression.
• Melatonin has been shown to modulate apoptotic pathways by influencing mitochondrial permeability, cytochrome c release, and caspase activation.
• In several cancer cell models, melatonin appears to promote apoptosis in malignant cells while sparing normal cells.

The most well-known indolamines are serotonin and melatonin, both of which play significant roles in regulating mood, sleep, and overall mental well-being.

Melatonin doses (20 mg to even 40 mg per day), often given as an adjuvant treatment for cancer.
-The plasma half-life of melatonin is generally in the range of approximately 20 to 60 minutes
-It has been suggested that administering melatonin at the appropriate phase of the circadian cycle may enhance its anti-tumor activity and reduce the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Bio-availability: Oral melatonin has a low and variable bio-availability (often estimated between 3% and 33%), which means that only a fraction of the ingested dose reaches the bloodstream unchanged.

For proOxidant effect might need >10uM, which might be 100mg dose (assuming 10% bio-availability) Might also be required X10 levels?
-It remains unknown whether the pro-oxidant action exists in vivo. the vast majority of evidence indicates that melatonin is a potent antioxidant in vivo even at pharmacological concentrations.

Interactions:
-Melatonin could potentially add to the blood pressure–lowering properties of antihypertensive drugs.
-Patients using insulin should be monitored for changes in blood glucose levels.
-Melatonin might interact with drugs like warfarin, aspirin, or clopidogrel.(antiplatelet)


Melatonin Cancer Relevant Pathways
Rank Pathway / Axis Cancer Cells Normal Cells Label Primary Interpretation Notes
1 Circadian signaling (MT1 / MT2 receptors) ↓ proliferative circadian disruption ↑ circadian synchronization Driver Chronobiology normalization Melatonin restores circadian control; cancer cells lose growth advantages from circadian dysregulation
2 Reactive oxygen species (ROS) ↓ ROS (baseline); context-dependent ↑ stress signaling ↓ ROS (strong buffering) Driver Antioxidant dominance with signaling effects Melatonin is a potent direct and indirect antioxidant; cancer cells may still undergo stress-mediated growth inhibition
3 Mitochondrial function ↓ metabolic flexibility; ↑ apoptosis sensitivity ↑ mitochondrial efficiency Secondary Mitochondrial stabilization vs vulnerability Melatonin improves mitochondrial function in normal cells while limiting metabolic plasticity in cancer cells
4 Estrogen signaling (ERα modulation) ↓ estrogen-driven proliferation ↔ minimal Secondary Hormone-dependent growth suppression Particularly relevant in breast and hormone-responsive cancers
5 NF-κB signaling ↓ inflammatory / survival signaling ↓ inflammatory tone Secondary Anti-inflammatory modulation NF-κB suppression contributes to reduced tumor-promoting inflammation
6 Cell cycle regulation ↓ proliferation / ↑ arrest ↔ spared Phenotypic Cytostatic growth control Growth inhibition reflects upstream circadian and hormonal effects
7 Apoptosis sensitivity ↑ sensitivity to apoptosis (chemo/RT) ↓ apoptosis Phenotypic Therapy sensitization Melatonin enhances response to chemo- and radiotherapy while protecting normal tissue


toxicity, toxicity: Click to Expand ⟱
Source:
Type:
Toxicity
Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
1780- MEL,    Utilizing Melatonin to Alleviate Side Effects of Chemotherapy: A Potentially Good Partner for Treating Cancer with Ageing
- Review, Var, NA
*antiOx↑, *toxicity↓, ChemoSen↑, *eff↑, *mitResp↑, *ATP↑, *ROS↓, *CardioT↓, *GSH↑, *NOS2↓, *lipid-P↓, eff↑, *HO-1↑, *NRF2↑, *NF-kB↑, TumCP↓, eff↑, neuroP↑,
1778- MEL,    Melatonin: a well-documented antioxidant with conditional pro-oxidant actions
- Review, Var, NA - Review, AD, NA
*ROS↓, *antiOx↓, ROS↑, selectivity↑, Dose↑, *mitResp↑, *ATP↑, *ROS↓, eff↑, ROS↑, Dose↑, *toxicity∅, ROS↑, eff↓, ROS↝, Dose↑, other↑,
1777- MEL,    Melatonin as an antioxidant: under promises but over delivers
- Review, NA, NA
*ROS↓, *Fenton↓, *antiOx↑, *toxicity∅, *GPx↑, *GSR↑, *GSH↑, *NO↓, *Iron↓, *Copper↓, *IL1β↓, *iNOS↓, *Casp3↓, *BBB↑, *RenoP↑, chemoP↑, *Ca+2↝, eff↑, *PKCδ?, ChemoSen↑, eff↑, Akt↓, DR5↑, selectivity↑, ROS↑, eff↑,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 3 of 3

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 3

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

ROS↑, 4,   ROS↝, 1,  

Cell Death ⓘ

Akt↓, 1,   DR5↑, 1,  

Transcription & Epigenetics ⓘ

other↑, 1,  

Migration ⓘ

TumCP↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance ⓘ

ChemoSen↑, 2,   Dose↑, 3,   eff↓, 1,   eff↑, 6,   selectivity↑, 2,  

Functional Outcomes ⓘ

chemoP↑, 1,   neuroP↑, 1,  
Total Targets: 13

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

antiOx↓, 1,   antiOx↑, 2,   Copper↓, 1,   Fenton↓, 1,   GPx↑, 1,   GSH↑, 2,   GSR↑, 1,   HO-1↑, 1,   Iron↓, 1,   lipid-P↓, 1,   NRF2↑, 1,   ROS↓, 4,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics ⓘ

ATP↑, 2,   mitResp↑, 2,  

Cell Death ⓘ

Casp3↓, 1,   iNOS↓, 1,  

Migration ⓘ

Ca+2↝, 1,   PKCδ?, 1,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature ⓘ

NO↓, 1,  

Barriers & Transport ⓘ

BBB↑, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling ⓘ

IL1β↓, 1,   NF-kB↑, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance ⓘ

eff↑, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers ⓘ

NOS2↓, 1,  

Functional Outcomes ⓘ

CardioT↓, 1,   RenoP↑, 1,   toxicity↓, 1,   toxicity∅, 2,  
Total Targets: 28

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: toxicity, toxicity
3 Melatonin
Query results interpretion may depend on "conditions" listed in the research papers.
Such Conditions may include : 
  -low or high Dose
  -format for product, such as nano of lipid formations
  -different cell line effects
  -synergies with other products 
  -if effect was for normal or cancerous cells

Filter Conditions: Pro/AntiFlg:%  IllCat:%  CanType:%  Cells:%  prod#:122  Target#:1025  State#:%  Dir#:%
  wNotes=0  sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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