Melatonin

Multidimensional sleep health and diabetic retinopathy: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Simonson M, Li Y, Zhu B, McAnany JJ, Chirakalwasan N, Sutabutr Vajaranant T · Sleep medicine reviews · 2024

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most prevalent microvascular diabetic complications. Poor sleep health and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are risk factors for diabetes and poor glycemic control. Recent studies have suggested associations between poor sleep health/OSA and DR. Furthermore, there have been suggestions of melatonin dysregulation in the context of DR. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis exploring the associations between multidimensional sleep health (duration, satisfaction, efficiency, timing/regularity and alertness), OSA and melatonin with DR. Forty-two studies were included. Long, but not short sleep, was significantly associated with DR, OR 1.41 (95%CI 1.21, 1.64). Poor sleep satisfaction was also significantly associated with DR, OR 2.04 (1.41, 2.94). Sleep efficiency and alertness were not associated with DR, while the evidence on timing/regularity was scant. Having OSA was significantly associated with having DR, OR 1.34 (1.07, 1.69). Further,

Therapeutic potential of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of digestive inflammatory cancer transformation: Portulaca oleracea L. as a promising drug.

Shao G, Liu Y, Lu L, Wang L, Ji G, Xu H · Journal of ethnopharmacology · 2024

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used for centuries to treat various types of inflammation and tumors of the digestive system. Portulaca oleracea L. (POL), has been used in TCM for thousands of years. The chemical composition of POL is variable and includes flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids and organic acids and other classes of natural compounds. Many of these compounds exhibit powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer-transforming effects in the digestive system. In this review, we focus on the potential therapeutic role of POL in NASH, gastritis and colitis and their associated cancers, with a focus on the pharmacological properties and potential mechanisms of action of the main natural active compounds in POL. The information and data on Portulaca oleracea L. and its main active ingredients were collated from various resources like ethnobotanical textbooks and literature databases such as CNKI, VIP (Chinese literature), PubMed, Science Direct, Elsevier and Google Scho

Hypnotic and Melatonin/Melatonin-Receptor Agonist Treatment in Bipolar Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

McGowan NM, Kim DS, de Andres Crespo M, Bisdounis L, Kyle SD, Saunders KEA · CNS drugs · 2022 · n=1279

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic relapsing-remitting psychiatric disorder. Sleep and circadian rhythm disturbances persist during acute mood episodes of the disorder and during euthymia. However, the treatment potential of hypnotic agents that might be used to manage sleep disturbance in BD is not well understood. Similarly, melatonin and medications with a melatonin-receptor agonist mechanism of action may have chronotherapeutic potential for treating people with the disorder, but the impact of these substances on sleep and circadian rhythms and core symptoms in BD is unclear. Our aim was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the current evidence for hypnotic and melatonin/melatonin-receptor agonist pharmacotherapy for symptoms of sleep disturbance, mania, and depression in patients with BD. AMED, Embase, MEDLINE and PsychINFO databases were searched for studies published in English from the date of inception to 31 October 2021. Studies included in this revie

The pediatric psychopharmacology of autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review - Part II: The future.

Persico AM, Asta L, Chehbani F, Mirabelli S, Parlatini V, Cortese S · Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry · 2025

Part I of this systematic review summarized the state-of-the-art of pediatric psychopharmacology for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a severe and lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder. The purpose of this Part II follow-up article is to provide a systematic overview of the experimental psychopharmacology of ASD. To this aim, we have first identified in the Clinicaltrials.gov website all the 157 pharmacological and nutraceutical compounds which have been experimentally tested in children and adolescents with ASD using the randomized placebo-controlled trial (RCT) design. After excluding 24 drugs already presented in Part I, a systematic review spanning each of the remaining 133 compounds was registered on Prospero (ID: CRD42023476555), performed on PubMed (August 8, 2024), and completed with EBSCO, PsycINFO (psychology and psychiatry literature) and the Cochrane Database of Systematic reviews, yielding a total of 115 published RCTs, including 57 trials for 23 pharmacological compounds an

Role of Antioxidants in Melasma: A Systematic Review.

Sarkar R, Sahu A · Indian journal of dermatology · 2025

Melasma is a common skin disorder characterized by facial hyperpigmentation, often aggravated by sun exposure. Antioxidants are being studied as a treatment option for their potential to reduce oxidative stress and improve skin pigmentation. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed for articles published over the past decade, up to January 31, 2024, on the use of antioxidants in melasma treatment. The systematic review, conducted by two independent investigators, included 30 studies on antioxidants in melasma, covering vitamin C, cysteamine, silymarin, PLE, tomato extract/lycopene, zinc sulfate, melatonin, and other antioxidants. Findings indicated that combining vitamin C with physical therapies, such as peels and lasers, yielded better results. Cysteamine, a naturally occurring aminothiol, showed efficacy comparable to hydroquinone with fewer side effects. Silymarin was effective in reducing melasma severity with minimal adverse effects. PLE showed mixed results but

Biological rhythms in premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder: a systematic review.

Nexha A, Caropreso L, de Azevedo Cardoso T, Suh JS, Tonon AC, Frey BN · BMC women's health · 2024

Women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) typically experience a range of psychological and physiological symptoms that negatively affect their quality of life. Disruption in biological rhythms, including alterations of the sleep-wake cycle, have been implicated in PMS/PMDD, though literature is still growing to substantiate these findings. The objective of this study is to systematically review the available literature on biological rhythms disruption in PMS/PMDD. A literature search was conducted on four databases (Pubmed, Embase, Medline, and Web of Science) on December 3rd, 2021. This search yielded a total of 575 articles that assessed the relationship between biological rhythms and PMS/PMDD/premenstrual symptoms. After the exclusion of irrelevant articles and hand-searching references, 25 articles were included in this systematic review. Some studies showed that women with PMS/PMDD present lower melatonin levels, elevated nighttime core b

Practice guideline: Treatment for insomnia and disrupted sleep behavior in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: Report of the Guideline Development, Dissemination, and Implementation Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology.

Williams Buckley A, Hirtz D, Oskoui M, Armstrong MJ, Batra A, Bridgemohan C · Neurology · 2020

To review pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic strategies for treating sleep disturbances in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and to develop recommendations for addressing sleep disturbance in this population. The guideline panel followed the American Academy of Neurology 2011 guideline development process, as amended. The systematic review included studies through December 2017. Recommendations were based on evidence, related evidence, principles of care, and inferences. For children and adolescents with ASD and sleep disturbance, clinicians should assess for medications and coexisting conditions that could contribute to the sleep disturbance and should address identified issues. Clinicians should counsel parents regarding strategies for improved sleep habits with behavioral strategies as a first-line treatment approach for sleep disturbance either alone or in combination with pharmacologic or nutraceutical approaches. Clinicians should offer melatonin if b

A practice pathway for the identification, evaluation, and management of insomnia in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders.

Malow BA, Byars K, Johnson K, Weiss S, Bernal P, Goldman SE · Pediatrics · 2012

This report describes the development of a practice pathway for the identification, evaluation, and management of insomnia in children and adolescents who have autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The Sleep Committee of the Autism Treatment Network (ATN) developed a practice pathway, based on expert consensus, to capture best practices for an overarching approach to insomnia by a general pediatrician, primary care provider, or autism medical specialist, including identification, evaluation, and management. A field test at 4 ATN sites was used to evaluate the pathway. In addition, a systematic literature review and grading of evidence provided data regarding treatments of insomnia in children who have neurodevelopmental disabilities. The literature review revealed that current treatments for insomnia in children who have ASD show promise for behavioral/educational interventions and melatonin trials. However, there is a paucity of evidence, supporting the need for additional research. Con

Phytotherapy for Cachexia: Where Do We Stand?

Kuchta K, Cameron S · Frontiers in pharmacology · 2020 · n=33

In contrast to Western medicine which currently offers no approved pharmacotherapy options for cachexia, in Japan multi-component extracts of medicinal plants are used with coverage by the national health insurance. This so called "Kampo" medicine is an example of the modern concept of multi-component/multi-target therapy. For the three traditional preparations Hochuekkito (), Juzentaihoto (), and Rikkunshito (), a multitude of clinical research data relating to cachexia has been published. These preparations are also referred to as "Hozai" (). A similar concept is found in Russian herbal medicine, where the term "Adaptogen" was coined for pharmacologically active substances which enhance adaptive stress repose. Scientific literature-including original Japanese articles-was reviewed regarding the effects of these herbal preparations on cachexia. Cachexia is a complex set of symptoms including muscle atrophy with loss of weight, fatigue, and weakness. In a 1985 study by Kuroda et al.,

Regression of gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms using dietary supplementation with melatonin, vitamins and aminoacids: comparison with omeprazole.

Pereira Rde S · Journal of pineal research · 2006 · n=176

The prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is increasing. GERD is a chronic disease and its treatment is problematic. It may present with various symptoms including heartburn, regurgitation, dysphagia, coughing, hoarseness or chest pain. The aim of this study was to investigate if a dietary supplementation containing: melatonin, l-tryptophan, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin B12, methionine and betaine would help patients with GERD, and to compare the preparation with 20 mg omeprazole. Melatonin has known inhibitory activities on gastric acid secretion and nitric oxide biosynthesis. Nitric oxide has an important role in the transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxation (TLESR), which is a major mechanism of reflux in patients with GERD. Others biocompounds of the formula display anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. A single blind randomized study was performed in which 176 patients underwent treatment using the supplement cited above (group A) and 175 received treatm

Sleep Disturbance and Perimenopause: A Narrative Review.

Troìa L, Garassino M, Volpicelli AI, Fornara A, Libretti A, Surico D · Journal of clinical medicine · 2025

Background/Objectives: Perimenopause, impacting 80-90% of women, encompasses a range of vasomotor, urogenital, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms associated with the fluctuation and gradual reduction of gonadal hormones. Moreover, the onset or worsening of sleep disturbances is prevalent during the menopausal transition. This narrative review seeks to elucidate the pathogenetic processes behind sleep disturbances during perimenopause and the main therapeutic options. Methods: The electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Embase were queried for publications up to May 2024. Longitudinal, observational, case-control, and cross-sectional studies, as well as reviews and meta-analyses, were included in the review in order to explore the prevalence of sleep disorders during perimenopause, the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying the association between menopausal transition and sleep disorders, and the available non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatment

Dietary supplements and prevention of preeclampsia.

Ushida T, Tano S, Matsuo S, Fuma K, Imai K, Kajiyama H · Hypertension research : official journal of the Japanese Society of Hypertension · 2025

Preeclampsia (PE) is a common pregnancy complication characterized by hypertension, proteinuria, and end-organ dysfunction. However, to date, no effective treatment has been established other than iatrogenic delivery, and the importance of prevention as an alternative approach to addressing PE has been emphasized. There is growing evidence on the effectiveness of pharmacological and non-pharmacological prophylaxis in preventing PE. In this review, we focused on dietary supplements as non-pharmacological prophylaxis for PE. Calcium is a well-documented supplement for the prevention of PE. Daily 500 mg calcium supplementation can roughly halve the risk of PE in settings where calcium intake is low, including in Japan. According to recent systematic reviews and network meta-analyses, current evidence on the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation is inconsistent. Although vitamin D is a candidate for the prevention of PE, future large-scale randomized control trials are necessary to

The impact of the physical activity intervention on sleep in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Liang X, Haegele JA, Tse AC, Li M, Zhang H, Zhao S · Sleep medicine reviews · 2024

Pharmacological treatments (i.e., melatonin) and non-pharmacological therapies (e.g., parent-based sleep education programs and behavioural interventions) have been found to result in improved sleep in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, there are several limitations to these treatment approaches, including concerns about the possible side-effects and safety, high-cost and uncertainties of long-term effects. Physical activity (PA) intervention is a promising behavioural intervention that has received increasing attention. However, the effects of PA intervention on sleep are still unclear in this clinical group. This study aimed to synthesize available empirical studies concerning the effects of PA interventions on sleep in children and adolescents with ASD. Following PRISMA guidelines, seven electronic databases: APA PsychInfo, CINAHL Ultimate, ERIC, MEDLINE, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science, were searched from inception to March 2023. Randomiz

Alternative Treatments for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

n=43 · NCT01799733 · COMPLETED · COMPLETED

The primary aim of this study is to examine the effects of co-administered wake therapy followed by light treatment on mood, and secondarily on circadian rhythms, to test the hypothesis that critically-timed chronotherapy improves mood by correcting phase disturbances in melatonin and sleep in women with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.

Melatonin Supplementation and Oxidative DNA Damage Repair Capacity Among Night Shift Workers: a Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial

n=40 · NCT03945955 · COMPLETED · COMPLETED

This research aims to determine if melatonin supplementation, through improvements in sleep quality, increases the ability to repair oxidative DNA damage and reduce lipid peroxidation levels among nightshift workers.

Effectiveness of Oral Melatonin vs Oral Tranexamic Acid in the Treatment and Recurrence of Melasma : A Comparative, Randomized, Controlled Study

n=75 · NCT07034560 · ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING · ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

This study compares the effectiveness of two oral medications-melatonin and tranexamic acid -in treating melasma, a common skin condition that causes dark facial patches. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either melatonin, tranexamic acid, or a placebo once daily at bedtime for 12 weeks. During this treatment phase, all participants will also apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen and a base cream. After 12 weeks, participants will stop the oral medication but continue using the sunscreen and base cream for an additional 12 weeks to assess recurrence of melasma. The study evaluates improvement in skin pigmentation, recurrence after treatment cessation, quality of life, and patient satisfaction. This clinical trial will be conducted at Benchakitti Park Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand, and will enroll 75 adult participants.