The effects of oral melatonin on the autonomic function in healthy subjects

  • Tsuyoshi Kitajima
  • , Takashi Kanbayashi
  • , Yasushi Saitoh
  • , Yuriko Ogawa
  • , Tomonari Sugiyama
  • , Yoshihiko Kaneko
  • , Yoshiko Sasaki
  • , Rika Aizawa
  • , Tetsuo Shimisu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

35 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We investigated the influence of melatonin on the human autonomic functions by measuring muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA). Five healthy male volunteers took 3 mg of melatonin, and their plasma melatonin concentration, blood pressure, heart rate, and burst rate of MSNA were then recorded. The peak level of melatonin concentration showed a marked interindividual variation. Blood pressure was reduced significantly, while heart rate and burst rate of MSNA did not change significantly. These results indicate that melatonin has a hypotensive effect on blood pressure, and the central cardiovascular regulatory mechanism such as lowering of the baroreflex setpoint would be involved in the effect.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)299-300
Number of pages2
JournalPsychiatry and clinical neurosciences
Volume55
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2001
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Neuroscience
  • Neurology
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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