Melatonin and synthetic analogs as antioxidants.

Ankara University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, 06100, Tandogan, Ankara, Turkey. sibel@pharmacy.ankara.edu.tr

Current drug delivery 2013 Feb

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Recent studies suggest that overproduction of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS), lowered antioxidant defense of the body. Oxidative stress is damaging to DNA, lipids, proteins and many more vital macromolecules. Consequences of oxidative stress thought to contribute to the development of a wide range of diseases including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, neurodegeneration in motor neuron diseases and many cancer types. Melatonin (MLT) is a powerful antioxidant with a particular role in the protection of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. To find an improved antioxidant activity, developments of novel synthetic analogues are under investigation. These studies may offer a new progress and approach in antioxidant drug development as well as antioxidant chemistry. Therefore, we have been synthesizing novel MLT derivatives and investigating their antioxidant capacities. This review gives a brief knowledge about the MLT based analogue indole derivatives as potential antioxidants.