The profile of melatonin production in tumour-bearing rats
Abstract
The pineal gland is involved in the regulation of tumour growth through the anticancer activity of melatonin, which presents immunomodulatory, anti-proliferative and anti-oxidant effects.
In this study we measured melatonin content directly in the pineal gland, in an attempt to clarify the modulation of pineal melatonin secretory activity during tumour growth.
Different groups of Walker 256 carcinosarcoma bearing rats were sacrificed at 12 different time points during 24h (12h:12h light/dark cycle) on different days during the tumour development (on the first, seventh and fourteenth day after tumour inoculation).
Melatonin content in the pineal gland was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.
During tumour development the amount of melatonin secreted increased from 310.9 ng/mg of protein per day from control animals, to 918.1 ng/mg of protein per day 14 days after tumour implantation, and there were changes in the pineal production profile of melatonin.
Cultured pineal glands obtained from tumour-bearing rats turned out to be less responsive to noradrenaline, suggesting the existence, in vivo, of putative factor(s) modulating pineal melatonin production.
The results demonstrated that during tumour development there is a modification of pineal melatonin production daily profile, possibly contributing to cachexia, associated to changes in pineal gland response to noradrenaline stimulation.
See also:
- Official Web Site: The Di Bella Method;
- Melatonin use in cancer patients have started in 1974, when melatonin prepared according to Prof. Di Bella’s formulation [...]. For 11 days was administered to the patient, admitted to the general medical ward at the Maggiore-Pizzardi Hospital in Bologna, very slowly (over approx. 8 hours) and intravenously administered 1000 mg of melatonin for 11 days. During the course of each day, the patient was intravenously administered 4 saline drips of 500 ml, each containing ten 25 mg bottles of freeze-dried melatonin, lasting 2 hours, totaling 1000 mg per day. No other drug of any kind was administered in order to ascertain the effect of the MLT without interference [...]. From Melatonin with adenosine solubilized in water and stabilized with glycine for oncological treatment - technical preparation, effectivity and clinical findings;
- About Melatonin - In vitro, review and in vivo publications;
- Publication: Melatonin anticancer effects: Review (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- Publication: Key aspects of melatonin physiology: 30 years of research (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- The Di Bella Method (A Fixed Part - Vitamin C/Ascorbic Acid, 2–4 grams, twice a day orally);
- The Di Bella Method (A Fixed Part - Calcium, 2 grams per day, orally);
- Somatostatin in oncology, the overlooked evidences - In vitro, review and in vivo publications;
- Publication, 2018 Jul: Over-Expression of GH/GHR in Breast Cancer and Oncosuppressor Role of Somatostatin as a Physiological Inhibitor (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- Publication, 2019 Aug: The Entrapment of Somatostatin in a Lipid Formulation: Retarded Release and Free Radical Reactivity (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- Publication, 2019 Sep: Effects of Somatostatin and Vitamin C on the Fatty Acid Profile of Breast Cancer Cell Membranes (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- Publication, 2019 Sep: Effects of somatostatin, curcumin, and quercetin on the fatty acid profile of breast cancer cell membranes (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- Publication, 2020 Sep: Two neuroendocrine G protein-coupled receptor molecules, somatostatin and melatonin: Physiology of signal transduction and therapeutic perspectives (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- The Di Bella Method (A Fixed Part - Bromocriptine and/or Cabergoline);
- Prolactin inhibitors in oncology - In vitro, review and in vivo publications;
The Di Bella's Method: Use of Melatonin - together with others chemical compounds - in several Oncological Pathologies:
- Complete objective response to biological therapy of plurifocal breast carcinoma;
- Pleural Mesothelioma: clinical records on 11 patients treated with Di Bella's Method;
- Malignant pleural mesothelioma, stage T3-T4. Consideration of a case study;
- Neuroblastoma: Complete objective response to biological treatment;
- Large B-cells Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Stage IV-AE: a Case Report;
- Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Stage III-B-E: a Case Report;
- Oesophageal squamocellular carcinoma: a complete and objective response;
- Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: clinical records on 17 patients treated with Di Bella's Method;






