Melatonin: Antiproliferative Actions and Protection of Normal Tissue andEnhancement of Radiosensitivity of Breast Cancer Cells

Abstract

Melatonin is a small indolamine produced in mammals by the pineal gland, which regulates the sleep-wake cycle in humans, transducing the changes of environmental lightning into a darkness production of melatonin. This hormone has several mechanisms of action involving receptor-dependent and receptor-independent functions. Among these last actions, we can cite melatonin´s ability to protect the cells from oxidative stress under ischemia, drug toxicity and ionizing radiation