Increased levels of malondialdehyde and nitrite/nitrate in the blood of asphyxiated newborns: reduction by melatonin

Free radicals have been implicated in the pathogenesis of neonatal asphyxia and its complications. This study measured a product of lipid peroxidation , malondialdehyde, and the nitrite/nitrate levels in the serum of 20 asphyx iated newborns before and after treatment with the antioxidant melatonin gi ven within the first 6 hr of life, Ten asphyxiated newborns received a tota l of 80 mg of melatonin (8 doses of 10 mg each separated by 2-hr intervals) orally. One blood sample was collected before melatonin administration and two additional blood samples (at 12 and 24 hr) were collected after giving melatonin. A third group of healthy newborn children served as controls. S erum malondialdehyde and nitrite + nitrate concentrations in newborns with asphyxia before treatment were significantly higher than those in infants w ithout asphyxia. In the asphyxiated newborns given melatonin, there were si gnificant reductions in malondialdehyde and nitrite/nitrate levels at both 12 and 24 hr. Three of the 10 asphyxiated children not given melatonin died within 72 hr after birth, none of the 10 asphyxiated newborns given melato nin died. The results indicate that the melatonin may be beneficial in the treatment of newborn infants with asphyxia. The protective actions of melat onin in this study may relate to the antioxidant properties of the indole a s well as to the ability of melatonin to increase the efficiency of mitocho ndrial electron transport.