Laboratory of Retinal Neurochemistry and Experimental Ophthalmology, Department of Human Biochemistry, School of Medicine/CEFyBO, University of Buenos Aires/CONICET, Buenos Aires. Argentina.
Department of Human Biochemistry, School of Medicine, CEFyBO, University of Buenos Aires, CONICET, Paraguay 2155, 5th Floor, (1121), Buenos Aires. Argentina.
Curr Neuropharmacol. 2017;15(7):951-962. doi: 10.2174/1570159X15666170113122120.
Uveitis and optic neuritis are prevalent ocular inflammatory diseases, and highly damaging ocular conditions. Both diseases are currently treated with corticosteroids, but they do not have adequate efficacy and are often associated with severe side effects. Thus, uveitis and optic neuritis remain a challenging field to ophthalmologists and a significant public health concern.
This review summarizes findings showing the benefits of a treatment with melatonin in experimental models of these inflammatory ocular diseases.
Oxidative and nitrosative damage, tumor necrosis factor, and prostaglandin production have been involved in the pathogeny of uveitis and optic neuritis. Melatonin is an efficient antioxidant and antinitridergic, and has the ability to reduce prostaglandin and tumor necrosis factor levels both in the retina and optic nerve. Moreover, melatonin not only prevents functional and structural consequences of experimental uveitis and optic neuritis, but it is also capable of suppressing the actively ongoing ocular inflammatory response.
Since melatonin protects ocular tissues against inflammation, it could be a potentially useful anti-inflammatory therapy in ophthalmology.
葡萄膜炎和视神经炎是常见的眼部炎症性疾病，也是高度致盲性眼病。目前，皮质类固醇被用于这两种疾病的治疗，但疗效并不理想，且常伴有严重的副作用。因此，葡萄膜炎和视神经炎仍然是眼科医生面临的挑战，也是一个重大的公共卫生问题。
本综述总结了褪黑素治疗这些眼部炎症性疾病的实验模型中疗效的相关发现。
氧化应激和硝化应激、肿瘤坏死因子和前列腺素的产生与葡萄膜炎和视神经炎的发病机制有关。褪黑素是一种有效的抗氧化剂和抗硝化剂，具有降低视网膜和视神经中前列腺素和肿瘤坏死因子水平的能力。此外，褪黑素不仅可以预防实验性葡萄膜炎和视神经炎的功能和结构后果，还可以抑制正在进行的眼部炎症反应。
由于褪黑素可以保护眼部组织免受炎症的侵害，因此它可能成为眼科领域一种有前途的抗炎治疗方法。
