Role and mechanism of melatonin in the treatment of infectious diseases

doi:10.20199/j.issn.1672-2302.2024.05.012

Abstract

Abstract:

Melatonin (MT) is an endogenous hormone that acts as a safe and effective sleep aid for regulating the circadian cycle. In addition to its traditional functions, more researches suggest that MT can play an important role in the treatment of infectious diseases. The therapeutic mechanism of MT in infectious diseases mainly involves the effect of reducing tissue damage caused by infection via regulating oxidative stress and enhancing immune function induced by regulating circadian rhythm to recruit immune cells. Moreover, MT can exert an anti-inflammatory effect by regulating Th1/Th2 development and differentiation, NF-κB phosphorylation and so on, and affect the apoptosis pathway to play a certain anti-infective effect. Based on the above functions of MT, this article summarizes the research status and mechanism of MT in the treatment of infectious diseases in order to provide a theoretical basis for the application of MT against infection in clinical settings.

Key words: Melatonin, Infectious diseases, Oxidative stress, Immunomodulation, Anti-inflammatory, Apoptosis inhibition

CLC Number:

R183

GAO Yang, GUAN Fei, LEI Jiahui. Role and mechanism of melatonin in the treatment of infectious diseases[J]. Journal of Tropical Diseases and Parasitology, 2024, 22(5): 315-320.

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