Distribuzione della melatonina e ruoli biologici in piante ed animali: uno studio di meta-analisi

The last decades of research on melatonin in plant organisms have led to its quantification in an increasing number of species, outlining its biosynthetic pathways, biological roles and including it as a growth regulator. Melatonin is involved in many aspects of plant metabolism: from growth and radical inhibition to modulation of hormone levels, through the tolerance conferred against biotic and abiotic stresses. For all these reasons it has been proposed its use as a biostimulant, that is, a compound that when applied to the plants is able to improve their growth and tolerance to different abiotic stresses. Part of the effects promoted by melatonin are related to its powerful antioxidant and anti-radical activity, indispensable to face cold, heat, drought, heavy metal pollution and excess of light radiation, all phenomena that predispose cellular structures to degradation due to the production of reactive nitrogen (RNS) and oxygen species (ROS). The supplementation of human diet with phytomelatonin has also been investigated in order to examine its potential and beneficial effect on well-being and for the treatment of various conditions such as sleep-wake disorders, liver and heart diseases, in cancer prevention and as a compound that slows down or blocks the advancement of aging-related diseases. This work will report the state of research on these aspects and establish the link between melatonin content among species, families, and plant organs through the application of cluster analysis. The final results provide an overview of the melatonin content in the various plant species analyzed so far along with an overview of its effects and roles in plant and animal nutrition.