Abstract
Melatonin (MLT) is a powerful chronobiotic hormone that controls a multitude of circadian rhythms at several levels and, in recent times, has garnered considerable attention both from academia and industry. In several studies, MLT has been discussed as a potent neuroprotectant, anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative agent with no serious undesired side effects. These characteristics raise hopes that it could be used in humans for central nervous system (CNS)-related disorders. MLT is mainly secreted in the mammalian pineal gland during the dark phase, and it is associated with circadian rhythms. However, the production of MLT is not only restricted to the pineal gland; it also occurs in the retina, Harderian glands, gut, ovary, testes, bone marrow, and lens. Although most studies are limited to investigating the role of MLT in the CNS and related disorders, we explored a considerable amount of the existing literature. The objectives of this comprehensive review were to evaluate the impact of MLT on the CNS from the published literature, specifically to address the biological functions and potential mechanism of action of MLT in the CNS. We document the effectiveness of MLT in various animal models of brain injury and its curative effects in humans. Furthermore, this review discusses the synthesis, biology, function, and role of MLT in brain damage, and as a neuroprotective, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer agent through a collection of experimental evidence. Finally, it focuses on the effect of MLT on several neurological diseases, particularly CNS-related injuries.
Highlights
The brain and spinal cord are both critical constitutes of the central nervous system (CNS)
MLT is a versatile hormone that is primarily secreted by the pineal gland in the human brain and is known to regulate various physiological processes by photoperiodicity
We documented the overall effect of MLT on various activities, including its synthesis, biology, and functions; the role of MLT in brain damage as a neuroprotectant and antioxidative; and its anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties
Summary
The brain and spinal cord are both critical constitutes of the central nervous system (CNS). CNS injuries cause illness and death, including traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI), and such injuries eventually lead to lose of body functions [1,2,3,4]. The hormonal functions of MLT regulate various tasks, such as reproductive activities, facilitation of sleep physiology, immunomodulation, promotion of stem cell proliferation, anti-inflammation, and modulation of aging [32]. MLT can modulate various physiologic processes, including mood regulation, the circadian clock in our body, anxiety, appetite, sleep, cardiac functions, and immunological responses. MLT activityinis CNS mainly regulated and found governed by MT1 and MT2,nuclei which in arethe widely distributed in distributed and primarily in suprachiasmatic hypothalamus ofCNS the and primarily found in suprachiasmatic nuclei in the hypothalamus of the mammalian cells
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