Background Our earlier studies indicate that melatonin inhibits the proliferation of prolactinoma and induces apoptosis of pituitary prolactin-secreting tumor in rats.Melatonin has also been shown to induce apoptosis and to reduce the production of ATP in breast tumor cells.This study analyzed the levels of the four mitochondrial respiratory complexes and the production of ATP and also the effects of melatonin treatment of prolactinoma.Methods In the in vivo study,mitochondria were harvested from control pituitaries or prolactinoma collected from the pituitaries of melatonin-and 17-β-estradiol (E2)-treated male rats.In the in vitro study,prolactinoma cells mitochondria were harvested.Activities of the four mitochondrial respiratory complexes were assayed using fluorometer.ATP production of prolactinoma cells was estimated using bioluminescent methods.Results Elevated levels of four mitochondrial respiratory complexes activities and ATP production were recorded in prolactinoma cells.Moreover,in both in vivo and in vitro studies,melatonin inhibited the activities of mitochondrial respiratory complexes and the production of ATP in prolactinoma cells.Conclusions There is a link between mitochondrial function increase and tumorigenesis.Melatonin induces apoptosis of pituitary prolactin-secreting tumor of rats via the induction of mitochondrial dysfunction and inhibition of energy metabolism.