Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
Volume 957, Issue 1 p. 341-344

Melatonin

An Antioxidant in Edible Plants

RUSSEL J. REITER, 

Corresponding Author

RUSSEL J. REITER

Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas 78229-3900, USA

Address for correspondence: Russel J. Reiter, Ph.D. Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, Mail Code 7762, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA. Voice: 210-567-3859; fax: 210/567-6948; [email protected].Search for more papers by this author
DUN-XIAN TAN, 

DUN-XIAN TAN

Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas 78229-3900, USA

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First published: 24 January 2006
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2002.tb02938.x
Citations: 119

Abstract

Abstract: Melatonin, a molecule with antioxidant properties that is widely distributed in the animal kingdom, has now been shown to exist in the plant kingdom, including edible plants. Our findings show that melatonin is not only an endogenously produced antioxidant, but that it is also consumed in the diet. Since melatonin concentrations in the blood correlate with the total antioxidant status of this fluid, it is likely that dietary melatonin could be important in protecting against oxidative damage.