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Melatonin as a Novel Therapeutic Agent Against Chemical Warfare Agents

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Melatonin, Neuroprotective Agents and Antidepressant Therapy

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Abstract

Chemical warfare agents (CWAs) can be used to kill, injure, or incapacitate an enemy in warfare but also against civilian population in terrorist attacks. The agents are able to generate free radicals and derived reactants, excitotoxicity process, or inflammation, and as consequence, they can cause neurological symptoms and damage in different organs. Nowadays, as there are not completely effective antidotes and treatments against all CWAs, we advance and propose that medical countermeasures against injury induced by CWAs would benefit from broad-spectrum multipotent molecules. Melatonin displays an exceptional multiplicity of actions and affords an important protective role in several pathological processes. Furthermore, melatonin presents low toxicity and high efficacy in reducing oxidative damage. Taking into account the multiple and beneficial properties of melatonin, the purpose of this chapter is to show its marked potential for improving human health against the most widely used CWAs.

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Abbreviations

AChE:

Acetylcholinesterase

BBB:

Blood-brain barrier

CNS:

Central nervous system

CWAs:

Chemical warfare agents

GSH:

Glutathione

HAT:

Hydrogen atom transfer

HOCl:

Hypochlorous acid

iNOS:

Inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase

NO• :

Nitric oxide anion

ONOO• :

Anion peroxynitrite

OPs:

Organophosphates

PARP:

Poly(adenosine diphosphate ribose) polymerase

RONS:

Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical Defence Department, CBRN Defence School, 28240, Hoyo de Manzanares, Madrid, Spain

    René Pita

  2. Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Avda. Puerta de Hierro s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Eva Ramos & Alejandro Romero PhD

  3. Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory, Institute of General Organic Chemistry (CSIC), Juan de la Cierva, 3, 28006, Madrid, Spain

    José Luis Marco-Contelles

Authors
  1. René Pita
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  2. Eva Ramos
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  3. José Luis Marco-Contelles
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  4. Alejandro Romero PhD
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Correspondence to Alejandro Romero PhD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Vice-Rectorate for Research and Sci, Camilo José Cela University Vice-Rectorate for Research and Sci, Madrid, Spain

    Francisco López-Muñoz

  2. International Medical Sciences Research Study Center, Sri Sathya Sai Medical Educational & Research Foundation, Coimbatore, India

    Venkataramanujam Srinivasan

  3. Department of Neurosciences and Ima, University of Chieti Department of Neurosciences and Ima, Italy, Italy

    Domenico de Berardis

  4. Department of Biomedical Sciences (Pharmacology Area), University of Alcalá, Madrid, Spain

    Cecilio Álamo

  5. Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan

    Takahiro A. Kato

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Pita, R., Ramos, E., Marco-Contelles, J.L., Romero, A. (2016). Melatonin as a Novel Therapeutic Agent Against Chemical Warfare Agents. In: López-Muñoz, F., Srinivasan, V., de Berardis, D., Álamo, C., Kato, T. (eds) Melatonin, Neuroprotective Agents and Antidepressant Therapy. Springer, New Delhi. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-2803-5_14

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