Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Melatonin: A Mechanistic Review Publisher Pubmed



Nabavi SM¹ ; Nabavi SF¹ ; Sureda A² ; Xiao J³ ; Dehpour AR⁴ ; Shirooie S⁵ ; Silva AS^{6, 7} ; Baldi A⁸ ; Khan H⁹ ; Daglia M⁸ Show Affiliations
Source: Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition Published:2019

Abstract

N-acetyl-5-methoxy-tryptamine (melatonin) is a natural substance produced both by plants, as a secondary metabolite, and animals, by the pineal gland and other tissues. In humans, melatonin participates in numerous functions including the regulation of mood, sleep, reproduction, promotion of immunomodulation, antioxidant defense and as an anti-inflammatory agent. The antiinflammatory activity of melatonin could yield beneficial effects on intake, particularly against the chronic inflammation which underlies many chronic diseases. This review aims to provide an assessment of the literature data on the anti-inflammatory activity of melatonin, with a particular focus on the mechanisms responsible for this behavior. We can conclude that many in vitro studies and in vivo studies in experimental animal model systems show that melatonin exerts anti-inflammatory activity in a number of chronic diseases which affect different organs in different circumstances. Clinical trials, however, often fail to reach positive results and are thus far inconclusive. Thus, in the future, long-term well-designed investigations on melatonin-rich foods or melatonin food supplements could provide valuable information towards public health recommendations on melatonin, taking into account both the nature of the compound and the optimal dose, for protection from long-term inflammation linked to chronic diseases. © 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.