Melatonin is a natural bioactive compound, whose intake by obese diabetic Zucker (ZDF) rats improves this pathology. Hypomagnesaemia has also been observed in diabetes, and magnesium (Mg) is known to play an essential role in carbohydrate metabolism. In this study we have determined the effect of melatonin intake on Mg concentrations in white adipose tissues and organs in ZDF rats. This study reveals for the first time that melatonin intake increases Mg concentrations in subcutaneous lumbar, visceral, omentum, and gonadal adipose tissue and in the pancreas. These findings may be related to an improvement in the homeostatic regulation of adipocytokines produced by white adipose tissues, and to a reduction in plasmatic oxidative stress, which would lead to a decrease in insulin resistance and improvement in glucose homeostasis. These results open up the beneficial use of melatonin for the development of functional foods to ameliorate glucose homeostasis in obesity-associated diabetes.

褪黑激素是一种天然的生物活性化合物，肥胖的糖尿病Zucker（ZDF）大鼠摄入它可以改善这种病理状况。在糖尿病患者中还发现了低镁血症，镁（Mg）在碳水化合物的代谢中起着至关重要的作用。在这项研究中，我们确定了褪黑激素摄入对ZDF大鼠白色脂肪组织和器官中Mg浓度的影响。这项研究首次揭示褪黑激素的摄入会增加皮下腰，内脏，大网膜，性腺脂肪组织和胰腺中镁的含量。这些发现可能与由白色脂肪组织产生的脂肪细胞因子的稳态调节的改善以及血浆氧化应激的降低有关，血浆氧化应激的下降将导致胰岛素抵抗的降低和葡萄糖稳态的改善。