Abstract

Melatonin (MT) (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is a lipophilic and hydrophilic indoleamine with various physiologic functions MT presents in all cells and tissues and distributes in all cell compartments. Liver is the only organ of circulating MT metabolism. The roles of MT in various liver pathologies have been extensively studied, and it is believed that oxidative stress (OS) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) are the key causing factors of almost all conditions compromising liver function, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), diabetes, liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. MT improves energy production and reduces apoptosis OS and LPO in liver. MT protects liver against OS through multiple ways: inhibition of inflammatory cytokines, direct scavenge of free radicals, stimulation of antioxidant enzymes, decrease of mitochondrial electron leakage and synergistic function with other classical antioxidants. © 2016, Oriental Scientific Publishing Company. All rights reserved.