Effect of melatonin supplementation on antioxidant enzyme activities in patients with short- and long-term hypokinesis

IN T R O D U C T IO N Hypokinesis may contribute to an increase in oxidative stress in muscle. Melatonin has been known as a radical scavenger with the ability to remove reactive oxygen species and also is supposed to stimulate antioxidant enzymes including catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). The aim of the work was to determine the effect of melatonin supplementation on CAT and GPx activity in the red blood cells of patients with shortand long-lasting hypokinesis. M A T E R IA L A N D M E T H OD S The study group consisted of 33 patients with immobilization, divided into groups depending on hypokinesis duration: short-term immobilization – patients were administered melatonin (5 mg daily) for 10 days and long-term hypokinesis – patients were administered the same dose of melatonin for 30 days. The control group consisted of 17 subjects with normal physical activity, which received the hormone supplement for 10 and 30 days.