Melatonin Anticancer Effects: Review

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Giuseppe Di Bella²  Fabrizio Mascia²  Luciano Gualano¹ 

[1] Private Laboratory of Physiology, Via Stefano Giovanni Marianini, Modena 41123, Italy; E-Mails:;Di Bella Foundation, Via Guglielmo Marconi 51, Bologna 40122, Italy; E-Mail:

关键词: melatonin;    apoptosis;    angiogenesis;    APUD system;    Di Bella Method;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms14022410

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, MLT), the main hormone produced by the pineal gland, not only regulates circadian rhythm, but also has antioxidant, anti-ageing and immunomodulatory properties. MLT plays an important role in blood composition, medullary dynamics, platelet genesis, vessel endothelia, and in platelet aggregation, leukocyte formula regulation and hemoglobin synthesis. Its significant atoxic, apoptotic, oncostatic, angiogenetic, differentiating and antiproliferative properties against all solid and liquid tumors have also been documented. Thanks, in fact, to its considerable functional versatility, MLT can exert both direct and indirect anticancer effects in factorial synergy with other differentiating, antiproliferative, immunomodulating and trophic molecules that form part of the anticancer treatment formulated by Luigi Di Bella (Di Bella Method, DBM: somatostatin, retinoids, ascorbic acid, vitamin D3, prolactin inhibitors, chondroitin-sulfate). The interaction between MLT and the DBM molecules counters the multiple processes that characterize the neoplastic phenotype (induction, promotion, progression and/or dissemination, tumoral mutation). All these particular characteristics suggest the use of MLT in oncological diseases.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2013 by the authors; licensee Molecular Diversity Preservation International, Basel, Switzerland.