Abstract
The recent pandemic of COVID-19 has already infected millions of individuals and has resulted in the death of hundreds of thousands worldwide. Based on clinical features, pathology, and the pathogenesis of respiratory disorders induced by this and other highly homogenous coronaviruses, the evidence suggests that excessive inflammation, oxidation, and an exaggerated immune response contribute to COVID-19 pathology; these are caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This leads to a cytokine storm and subsequent progression triggering acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and often death. We and others have reported melatonin to be an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative molecule with a high safety profile. It is effective in critical care patients by reducing their vascular permeability and anxiety, inducing sedation, and improving their quality of sleep. As melatonin shows no harmful adverse effects in humans, it is imperative to introduce this indoleamine into clinical trials where it might be beneficial for better clinical outcomes as an adjuvant treatment of COVID-19-infected patients. Herein, we strongly encourage health care professionals to test the potential of melatonin for targeting the COVID-19 pandemic. This is urgent, since there is no reliable treatment for this devastating disease.
Highlights
As of today (22 July 2020) there have been more than 616,317 deaths worldwide from coronavirus (COVID-19), a newly emerged respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
One of the overlooked and promising candidates is melatonin, which may substantially enhance the actions of adjuvant treatments for COVID-19 by reducing symptoms such as pneumonia, acute lung injury (ALI), and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
The combination of these drugs has led to even greater efficacy for relieving edema [74], so melatonin can be used in combination with prednisone to relieve edema with greater efficacy in patients suffering from pneumonia with SARS-CoV-2
Summary
As of today (22 July 2020) there have been more than 616,317 deaths worldwide from coronavirus (COVID-19), a newly emerged respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The clinical significance is limited, as well as because viral infectious diseases are self-limiting and the mild to moderately severe patients develop self-recovery without treatment. It has been speculated that the most severe symptoms are beyond viral cytotoxicity per se and result from the overreaction of the innate immune response that causes destructive inflammation, as observed in the severe disease progression of coronavirus infections [2]. This may be one of the reasons why antiviral drugs have failed to be effective in severely infected patients. An increasing number of publications has suggested or strongly recommended the use of melatonin to combat COVID-19
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
