Effects of Melatonin on Lipid Metabolism and Circulating Irisin in Sprague-Dawley Rats with Diet-Induced Obesity
Open accessAbstract
Melatonin, a pivotal photoperiodic signal transducer, may work as a brown-fat inducer that regulates energy balance. Our study aimed to investigate the effects of melatonin treatment on the body fat accumulation, lipid profiles, and circulating irisin of rats with high-fat diet-induced obesity (DIO). Methods: 30 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups and treated for 8 weeks: vehicle control (VC), positive control (PC), MEL10 (10 mg melatonin/kg body weight (BW)), MEL20 (20 mg/kg BW), and MEL50 (50 mg/kg BW). The vehicle control group was fed a control diet, and the other groups were fed a high-fat and high-calorie diet for 8 weeks to induce obesity before the melatonin treatment began. Melatonin reduced weight gain without affecting the food intake, reduced the serum total cholesterol level, enhanced the fecal cholesterol excretion, and increased the circulating irisin level. Melatonin downregulated the fibronectin type III domain containing 5 (FNDC5) and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) mRNA expressions of inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) and induced the browning of iWAT in both the MEL10 and MEL20 groups. Conclusion: Chronic continuous melatonin administration in drinking water reduced weight gain and the serum total cholesterol levels. Additionally, it enhanced the circulating irisin, which promoted brite/beige adipocyte recruitment together with cholesterol excretion and contributed to an anti-obesity effect.
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Experimental studies report the lowering properties of melatonin on serum TC concentrations prohibition of the absorption and biosynthesis of cholesterol and also increasing its catabolism.
“Experimental studies report the lowering properties of melatonin on serum TC concentrations prohibition of the absorption and biosynthesis of cholesterol and also increasing its catabolism. 16,32”
From Melatonin supplementation improves glycemic hemostasis, lipid profile, and adipokine concentrations of obese women: A double-blind randomized clinical trial (2024) · cites this paper as [16]
The Results report lower serum total cholesterol and greater fecal cholesterol excretion in melatonin-treated rats. The Discussion reports reduced cholesterol absorption in an earlier rat study and describes clearance via bile acid synthesis, but it does not establish inhibited cholesterol biosynthesis as a mechanism in these rats; that finding appears only in the title of a cited study of human cells. (LLM, conf=0.83)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe lipid-promoting effects of melatonin arise from the promotion of innate cholesterol release through the production of bilirubin acid and the prevention of low-density lipoprotein receptor function.
“The lipid-promoting effects of melatonin arise from the promotion of innate cholesterol release through the production of bilirubin acid and the prevention of low-density lipoprotein receptor function. Moreover, enhancement of irisin levels and improvement fecal cholesterol repulsion are some pathways that melatonin acts. 16,34,35”
From Melatonin supplementation improves glycemic hemostasis, lipid profile, and adipokine concentrations of obese women: A double-blind randomized clinical trial (2024) · cites this paper as [16]
The Discussion (page not supplied) links melatonin’s hypocholesterolemic effect to endogenous cholesterol clearance via bile acid synthesis and inhibition of LDL receptor activity. The claim reverses the direction of the lipid effect by calling it “lipid-promoting” and says “bilirubin acid” where the paper says bile acid. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredDifferent animal studies emphasize the beneficial effects of melatonin in obesity management.
“Different animal studies emphasize the beneficial effects of melatonin in the obesity management. 13-17”
From Melatonin supplementation improves glycemic hemostasis, lipid profile, and adipokine concentrations of obese women: A double-blind randomized clinical trial (2024) · cites this paper as [16]
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Mesri Alamdari, N., Namazi Shabestari, A., Najafipour, F., & Mirmazhari, A. (2024) · Biomedicine Advances · doi:10.34172/bma.05 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
“16,32 In agreement with our results, a new systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs demonstrated the beneficial impacts of melatonin consumption on lipids at doses greater than 8 mg/d and long durations of more than 8 weeks including a notable reduction in TG, TC, and a small reduction in LDL-c…”
- Authors
- Tung, Y.-T., Chiang, P.-C., Chen, Y.-L., & Chien, Y.-W.
- Affiliations
- Taipei Medical University Hospital (TW)
- Taipei Medical University (TW)
- Corresponding author
- Chien, Yi-Wen
- Venue
- Molecules
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2020-07-22
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 15
- Pages
- 3329
- ISSN
- 1420-3049 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC7436261
- OpenAlex
- W3045219339
- Cited by
- 49
- References
- 40
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 13
- FWCI
- 3.72
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Molecules (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST 104?, MOST104-2320-B038-022)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Adipose Tissue and Metabolism
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
- Keywords
- melatonin, diet-induced obesity, irisin, FNDC5, lipoprotein lipase, white adipose tissue browning, lipid metabolism, serum cholesterol, fecal cholesterol excretion, anti-obesity, high-fat diet, energy balance
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Adipose Tissue, Brown, Cholesterol, Fibronectins, Gene Expression Regulation, Lipoprotein Lipase, Male, Melatonin, Obesity, Weight Gain, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Anti-Obesity Agents, Lipid Metabolism, Adipose Tissue, White
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