Melatonin and diabetes mellitus (an overview of current experimental data)

Melatonin secreted by the epiphysis and synthesized in adipocytes of the gastrointestinal tract participates in the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism by modulating activities of alpha- and beta cell of Langerhans islets in the pancreas; melatonin acts via its specific receptors (MT1 and MT2). Reciprocal interactions between melatonin and insulin have been demonstrated while melatonin deficiency is known to be one of the factors predisposing to the development of diabetes mellitus. It was shown that melatonin provides protection against diabetes through a variety of intracellular and systemic mechanisms.