Résumé
Objective To research the effect of melatonin against glutamate excitotoxicity. Methods The model of glutamate-induced excitotoxic damage was built up in rat cerebral cortical cell culture. The effect of mela- tonin against excitotoxic injury was observed by determining the leakage rate of lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) from neurons. ResultsThe leakage rate of LDH wasn＇t decreased markedly when cultures were exposed to melatonin be- fore, during or 6 h after glutamate treatment. The leakage rate of LDH was decreased significantly when melatonin was administered 0 h, 2 h or 4 h after the cultures were exposed to glutamate. The inhibitory function of melatonin on LDH leakage was most effective at 2 h and 4 h. Conclusion Melatonin has protective effects on neurons damaged by glutamate in a certain time limit.