Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Melatonin as strong antioxidant and free radical scavenger can play important, protective role in disease in which oxidative damage is a significant component e.g.: in coronary heart disease, neoplastic disease, neurodegenerative disease. The aim of our study was determination of the effect of melatonin supplementation on malonyldialdehyde (MDA) concentration and activity of: superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT) in patients with chronic coronary artery disease.

Material and methods: The study included 20 patients with CAD at the mean age of 63.9±8.7 years. Patients were divided into subgroups (diabetics, nondiabetics, smokers, nonsmokers). Each patient received 5 mg melatonin for the mean of 96.3±14.2 days. The material of study was blood, taken at 08.00 am at the beginning of the study and after 3 months of the melatonin administration. MDA concentration was determined in plasma and SOD, CAT, GSH-Px activity were determined in hemolysate.

Results: There were found statistically significant differences in SOD activity in patients with diabetes mellitus comparison to non- diabetes mellitus patients (6.06±3.05 i 3.82±1.19 IU/mg protein; P=0.026) and higher MDA concentration in smokers comparison to non-smokers (3.23±2.9 i 2.32±0.36 nmol/ml P=0.006). After 3 months of melatonin treatment increase GSH-Px from 53.06±15.85 IU/mg protein to 92.06±78.55 IU/mg protein (P=0.036), increase SOD activity in non-diabetes mellitus group from 3.82±1.19 to 5.28±1.31 IU/mg Protein (P=0.002) and in non-smokers group from 3.99±1.18 to 5.06±1.20 IU/mg Protein (P=0.014) were found. In addition, decrease of MDA concentration were observed, from 2.85±0.98 to 1.18±0.29 nmol/ml (P=0.017), in Patients with diabetes mellitus.

Conclusions: The antioxidative Properties of melatonin were confirmed in the study. The supplementation of melatonin may be useful as a supportive therapy in Patients with chronic coronary artery disease.

Key words: melatonin, oxidative stress, coronary disease.

Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project.

Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.