Research research on the use of melatonin in combination with therapeutic hypothermia for the treatment of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

Abstract

Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) remains one of the leading causes of death and long-term neurodevelopmental disorders in full-term neonates, and there is currently no curative treatment. Therapeutic hypothermia is now a standard therapy for HIE in the neonatal intensive care unit, but its safety and efficacy in remote areas remains unclear. Melatonin is an indole endocrine hormone mainly produced by the pineal gland and it has the ability to easily penetrate the blood-brain barrier. Through receptor and non-receptor mechanisms, melatonin exerts anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects and participates in the regulation of organelle function and the inhibition of cell death. Melatonin is considered one of the most promising drugs for the treatment of HIE based on its reliable safety profile and clinical/preclinical results. This article reviews the recent research on the use of melatonin in combination with therapeutic hypothermia for the treatment of neonatal HIE.