Tested on miceScientists have discovered a new property of melatonin, which is also called the “sleep hormone”, because it is produced mainly at night during sleep. Discuss
Previously, scientists have learned that melatonin can act as an antioxidant. A new study shows that the “sleep hormone” may protect living tissue from damage caused by X-rays. Scientific work was carried out by specialists from the Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Pushchino).
Scientists in their experiment first exposed mice to X-rays. They then assessed changes in the cerebral cortex and spleen of the animals. These organs were not chosen by chance: the cells of the first divide extremely slowly, the second – very quickly. It turned out that melatonin can protect both types of tissue from radiation.