J Formos Med Assoc
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Arecoline, the major alkaloid of areca nut, is known to induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) and DNA damage during oral cancer progression. This study aim to evaluate whether melatonin, an antioxidant, supported or repressed the arecoline-induced carcinogenesis phenotypes in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). ⋯ These results indicated that melatonin is a potential chemopreventive agent for betel quid chewers to prevent OSCC initiation and progression.