Melatonin Shown to Inhibit the Effects of Aging

Scientists have found that a treatment based on melatonin can delay the first signs of aging in a small mammal.

Known as the "time-keeping” hormone, melatonin is naturally secreted by the body during the night. It is, therefore, a sort of biologic signal for nightfall, allowing an organism to synchronize itself with the day/night rhythm.

At the Laboratoire Arago in Banyuls sur Mer (France), Dr. Elodie Magnanou and her coworkers examined the long-term effects of melatonin on the Greater White-toothed shrew (Crocidura russula), a small nocturnal insectivorous mammal. Under normal conditions, this animal shows the first signs of aging after reaching 12 months, chiefly through the loss of circadian rhythm in its activities. By continuously administering melatonin, starting a little before 12 months, the appearance of these first signs was delayed by at least three months, which is a substantial period in relation to the lifespan of this shrew. (The Greater White-toothed shrew has a lifespan of 12 to 18 months in the wild and up to 30 months in captivity. Captivity does not change the time at which signs of aging appear it simply lengthens life.)

Melatonin is now known to play several beneficial roles. These include being an antioxidant, an antidepressant, and helping to remediate sleep problems. The next step will be to understand the mode of action of the hormone on aging, so researchers can possibly foresee its use on humans.

The study's findings appeared in the journal PLoS One on June 15, 2009.

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Laboratoire Arago in Banyuls sur Mer