[Melatonin: is there a rationale for the clinical use of this hormone in sleep therapy?].

Melatonin, the hormone of the pineal gland, is under discussion as multipotent hormone for different indications. The question whether there is a therapeutical benefit for all these indications could not be evaluated, because more clinical studies are needed. Based on the data of basic research as well as first clinical experience, the use of melatonin to treat sleep disorders caused by a deficit of melatonin might be appropriate. Other indications, derived from animal studies where the results often could not be applied to humans, have still to be proved. Given the fact that melatonin is not an approved product, only an intent to treat approach is allowed where it might by useful to document the melatonin deficit and to use a selected and certificate product.