Abstract
Solid organ transplantation is the “gold standard” for patients with end-stage organ disease. However, the supply of donor organs is critical, with an increased organ shortage over the last few years resulting in a significant mortality of patients on waiting lists. New strategies to overcome the shortage of organs are urgently needed. Some experimental studies focus on melatonin to improve the donor pool and to protect the graft; however, current research has not reached the clinical level. Therefore, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the data available, indicating that clinical evaluation is warranted.
Highlights
For some end-stage organ diseases, solid organ transplantation is the only potentially curative treatment option
Most of the experimental studies focused on the anti-ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) properties of MLT
Those studies could be divided into two types, including studies investigating MLT as a supplement to preservation solutions on the one hand, and studies investigating MLT as a drug against IRI applied orally or parenterally on the other hand
Summary
For some end-stage organ diseases, solid organ transplantation is the only potentially curative treatment option. Despite the increasing variety of organs available for transplantation, the heart, lung, liver, pancreas, and kidneys remain the most frequently transplanted organs, accounting for more than 99% of all solid organ transplantations Demand for these organs is constantly increasing, but organ supplies remain insufficient to meet the demand [10,11], leading to an increased organ shortage, which some authors consider as the greatest challenge in modern transplant medicine [11,12,13]. The data available are still focusing on basic research, without being directly applicable in clinical settings This comprehensive review provides an overview of the current evidence on the role of MLT in solid organ transplantation
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