Razi Drug Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Razi Drug Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Life Sci. 2024 May 1;344:122557. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122557. Epub 2024 Mar 11.
Melatonin, a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger, has been demonstrated to be effective in gynecological conditions and female reproductive cancers. This review consolidates the accumulating evidence on melatonin's multifaceted protective effects in different pathological contexts. In gynecological conditions such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and uterine leiomyoma, melatonin has shown promising effects in reducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and hormonal imbalances. It inhibits adhesion molecules' production, and potentially mitigates leukocyte adherence and inflammatory responses. Melatonin's regulatory effects on hormone production and insulin sensitivity in PCOS individuals make it a promising candidate for improving oocyte quality and menstrual irregularities. Moreover, melatonin exhibits significant antitumor effects by modulating various signaling pathways, promoting apoptosis, and suppressing metastasis in breast cancers and gynecological cancers, including ovarian, endometrial, and cervical cancers. Furthermore, melatonin's protective effects are suggested to be mediated by interactions with its receptors, estrogen receptors and other nuclear receptors. The regulation of clock-related genes and circadian clock systems may also contribute to its inhibitory effects on cancer cell growth. However, more comprehensive research is warranted to fully elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms and establish melatonin as a potential therapeutic agent for these conditions.
褪黑素是一种有效的抗氧化剂和自由基清除剂,已被证明在妇科疾病和女性生殖系统癌症中具有疗效。本综述综合了褪黑素在不同病理环境中具有多方面保护作用的累积证据。在妇科疾病如子宫内膜异位症、多囊卵巢综合征(PCOS)和子宫肌瘤中,褪黑素在减轻氧化应激、炎症和激素失衡方面显示出了有前景的效果。它可以抑制黏附分子的产生,潜在地减轻白细胞黏附和炎症反应。褪黑素对 PCOS 个体中激素产生和胰岛素敏感性的调节作用使其成为改善卵子质量和月经不规律的有希望的候选物。此外,褪黑素通过调节多种信号通路,促进乳腺癌和妇科癌症(包括卵巢癌、子宫内膜癌和宫颈癌)中的细胞凋亡和抑制转移,表现出显著的抗肿瘤作用。此外,褪黑素的保护作用可能是通过与受体(如雌激素受体和其他核受体)的相互作用介导的。时钟相关基因和昼夜节律系统的调节也可能有助于其对癌细胞生长的抑制作用。然而,需要更全面的研究来充分阐明其潜在的分子机制,并确立褪黑素作为这些疾病的潜在治疗剂的地位。