Efectos de la melatonina sobre el mantenimiento de parámetros corporales durante el envejecimiento. Estudio en Rattus norvegicus | Revista Española de Geriatría y Gerontología

Article information

Introduccion y objetivo

Con la edad, la biosintesis de melatonina disminuye, coincidiendo con cambios fisiologicos propios del envejecimiento. Ante este hecho, diversos investigadores han abordado estudios encaminados a valorar si la administracion de melatonina podria retardar el proceso del envejecimiento. En este estudio hemos valorado la influencia de la melatonina sobre el mantenimiento de diversos parametros y necesidades energeticas corporales, basandonos en hallazgos previos que ponen de manifiesto modificaciones de los mismos asociadas al envejecimiento.

Material y metodos

Hemos administrado melatonina en el agua de bebida (2 µg/ml), durante cinco meses, en ratas jovenes (4-5 meses), mediana edad (15-18 meses) y edad avanzada (23-25 meses). Los parametros estudiados fueron: peso corporal, peso de grasa retroperitoneal y de ovarios, ingesta solida e hidrica y niveles de citrato serico.

Resultados

La accion de la melatonina sobre la ingesta solida se hizo notar en la edad avanzada, provocando menor consumo que en el grupo control. Sin embargo, sobre la ingesta hidrica, el suplemento con melatonina influyo en todas las edades desencadenando menor consumo. La administracion de melatonina a ratas de edad avanzada disminuye el contenido de grasa retroperitoneal. Igualmente reduce el peso de los ovarios en ratas de mediana edad e impide que los niveles de citrato serico en ratas de edad avanzada muestren valores significativamente elevados con respecto a las otras dos edades, como se observa en el grupo control.

Conclusiones

La administracion de melatonina a ratas de edad avanzada conduce a un mejor aprovechamiento energetico.

Palabras clave:

Envejecimiento

Melatonina

Grasa retroperitoneal

Ingesta hídrica

Citrato

Introduction and objective

Biosynthesis of melatonin decreases with age, coinciding with the physiological changes of aging. Due to this, several investigators have studied the possible role of melatonin treatment to delay the aging process. This study has evaluated the influence of changes in different body parameters and energetic requirements, based on previous findings that show changes in them related to aging.

Material and methods

Melatonin was supplied in drinking water (2 ìg/ml) for five months to young female (4-5 months), middleaged (15-18 months) and old (23-25 month) rats. We analyzed melatonin influence upon longevity and body retroperitoneal fat and ovary weight as well as solid and water ingest and levels of serum citrate concentrations.

Results

Melatonin action on food ingestion was apparent in aged rats that showed lower ingest than in the control group. However melatonin supplement influenced water intake in all ages studied, provoking lower consumption. Melatonin administration to aged rats reduces retroperitoneal fat content. Similarly, it reduces ovarian weight in middle-aged rats and prevents serum citrate levels from significantly increasing in old rats compared to the other two age groups as had been observed in the control aged rats.

Conclusions

Melatonin administration to aging rats leads to better energetic usage.

Key words:

Aging

Melatonin

Retroperitoneal fat

Water ingest

Citrate

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