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      Melatonin’s Effect in Febrile Seizures and Epilepsy

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          Abstract

          Objective

          Recognition of risk factors for febrile seizures (FS) and epilepsy is essential.

          Studies regarding the role of melatonin in these convulsive disorders are limited.

          This study determines the relationship between serum melatonin levels and FS and epilepsy in children.

          Materials & Methods

          A population of 111 children with simple FS, complex FS, and epilepsy (37 children per group, respectively) were included as case groups. In addition, 37 febrile children without seizures comprised the control group. Serum melatonin levels were measured and compared between all groups.

          Results

          The serum melatonin levels in the simple, complex FSs, and epilepsy groups were 2, 2.4, and 2 pg/ml, respectively. The serum melatonin level in the control group was 2.1pg/ml.

          Moreover, there were no significant differences observed while comparing the case groups.

          Conclusion

          The present study reveals that there is no association between serum melatonin level and simple or complex FS and epilepsy. It appears that melatonin plays no significant role in these convulsive disorders.

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          Most cited references34

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          Regulation of antioxidant enzymes: a significant role for melatonin.

          Antioxidant enzymes form the first line of defense against free radicals in organisms. Their regulation depends mainly on the oxidant status of the cell, given that oxidants are their principal modulators. However, other factors have been reported to increase antioxidant enzyme activity and/or gene expression. During the last decade, the antioxidant melatonin has been shown to possess genomic actions, regulating the expression of several genes. Melatonin also influences both antioxidant enzyme activity and cellular mRNA levels for these enzymes. In the present report, we review the studies which document the influence of melatonin on the activity and expression of the antioxidative enzymes glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutases and catalase both under physiological and under conditions of elevated oxidative stress. We also analyze the possible mechanisms by which melatonin regulates these enzymes.
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            Melatonin receptors in humans: biological role and clinical relevance.

            In addition to its antioxidative effects melatonin acts through specific nuclear and plasma membrane receptors. To date, two G-protein coupled melatonin membrane receptors, MT(1) and MT(2), have been cloned in mammals, while the newly purified MT(3) protein belongs to the family of quinone reductases. Screening studies have shown that various tissues of rodents express MT(1) and/or MT(2) melatonin receptors. In humans, melatonin receptors were also detected in several organs, including brain and retina, cardiovascular system, liver and gallbladder, intestine, kidney, immune cells, adipocytes, prostate and breast epithelial cells, ovary/granulosa cells, myometrium, and skin. This review summarizes the data published so far about MT(1) and MT(2) receptors in human tissues and human cells. Established and putative functions of melatonin after receptor activation as well as the clinical relevance of these findings will be discussed.
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              Melatonin: a hormone, a tissue factor, an autocoid, a paracoid, and an antioxidant vitamin.

              Melatonin, a derivative of an essential amino acid, tryptophan, was first identified in bovine pineal tissue and subsequently it has been portrayed exclusively as a hormone. Recently accumulated evidence has challenged this concept. Melatonin is present in the earliest life forms and is found in all organisms including bacteria, algae, fungi, plants, insects, and vertebrates including humans. Several characteristics of melatonin distinguish it from a classic hormone such as its direct, non-receptor-mediated free radical scavenging activity. As melatonin is also ingested in foodstuffs such as vegetables, fruits, rice, wheat and herbal medicines, from the nutritional point of view, melatonin can also be classified as a vitamin. It seems likely that melatonin initially evolved as an antioxidant, becoming a vitamin in the food chain, and in multicellular organisms, where it is produced, it has acquired autocoid, paracoid and hormonal properties.
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                Author and article information

                Journal
                Iran J Child Neurol
                Iran J Child Neurol
                IJCN
                Iranian Journal of Child Neurology
                Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (Tehran, Iran )
                1735-4668
                2008-0700
                Summer 2014
                : 8
                : 3
                : 24-29
                Affiliations
                [1 ]Department of Pediatrics, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.
                [2 ]Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Mofid Children’s Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
                [3 ]Department of Community Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
                Author notes
                [* ]Corresponding Author: Mahyar A. MD, Department of Pediatrics, Qazvin Children Hospital, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran, Tel: +98 281 3334807-9, Email: Abolfazl473@yahoo.com
                Article
                ijcn-8-024
                4135277
                25143770
                63851507-c51d-42f6-aa77-c80a71343929

                This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

                History
                : 13 January 2014
                : 17 March 2014
                : 1 April 2014
                Categories
                Original Article

                melatonin,simple febrile seizures,complex febrile seizures,epilepsy

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