membrane lipid peroxidation
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The onset of lipid peroxidation within cellular membranes is associated with changes in their physicochemical properties and with the impairment of protein functions located in the membrane environment.
Antioxidant effects of melatonin
Melatonin has effects on biological membranes, changes in fluidity, fatty acid composition and lipid-protein modifications during the lipid peroxidation process of photoreceptor membranes and modulation of gene expression by the hormone and its preventive effects on adriamycin-induced lipid peroxidation in rat liver.
Simple model systems have often been employed to measure the activity of antioxidants. Although such studies are important and essential to understand the mechanisms and kinetics of antioxidant action, it should be noted that the results of simple in vitro model experiments cannot be directly extrapolated to in vivo systems.
For example, the antioxidant capacity of melatonin, one of the important physiological lipophilic antioxidants, in solution of pure triglycerides enriched in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids is considerably different from that in subcellular membranes.
See also
cellular injury
- membrane injury
References
Catalá A.The ability of melatonin to counteract lipid peroxidation in biological membranes.Curr Mol Med. 2007 Nov;7(7):638-49. PMID: 18045142