New perspectives on the use of melatonin in menopausal metabolic syndrome

Abstract

Introduction Metabolic syndrome is a complex of disorders including abdominal obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, dyslipidemia, and arterial hypertension. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of the pineal hormone melatonin are of great importance for preserving body homeostasis, and potentially melatonin can be a a safe and effective agent in the complex treatment of menopausal women with metabolic syndrome.The aim of the study is to determine the prospects of using the epiphysis hormone melatonin in the complex treatment of menopausal metabolic syndrome based on the analysis of scientific publications.Material and methods The review includes data from studies on the effect of melatonin (MT) on the components of metabolic syndrome in periand postmenopausal women. Sources were searched for the period 2016–2023 in the international databases Medline, Scopus, Web of Science and the Russian scientific electronic library eLibrary by search words and phrases: melatonin, menopause, perimenopause, metabolic syndrome, obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, arterial hypertension.Results and Discussion The analysis of the literature data showed a number of advantages of the effect of exogenous MT preparations on individual components of metabolic syndrome, but some results were contradictory. Scientific evidence of MT influence on anthropometric indices, markers of glucose homeostasis, hemodynamic parameters and signs of body's inflammatory response, as well as multidirectional effects on lipid profile was found.Conclusion Given the multifunctionality and safety of exogenous MT preparations, its use in the complex therapy of menopausal metabolic syndrome should be considered.