Amrollahi-Sharifabadi Mohammad, Oladejo Toheeb Olalekan, Ibrahim Adedayo Sheu, Shakoor Bushra, Mehrpour Omid, Sadeghi-Hashjin Goudarz, Gonçalves Sara
Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, 68151-44316, Iran.
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Nazarbayev School of Medicine, Astana, Kazakhstan.
Chem Biol Interact. 2025 Aug 25;417:111556. doi: 10.1016/j.cbi.2025.111556. Epub 2025 May 16.
Melatonin is an endogenous chemical predominantly synthesized in the pineal gland, widely recognized for its hormonal roles, such as regulating sleep and circadian rhythms. Through mechanisms such as anti-oxidative reduction, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulation, it is suggested that melatonin exhibits biochemical properties in in vitro conditions. Beyond these functions, melatonin has garnered attention for its pharmacological benefits, particularly as a therapeutic agent that is exogenously administered as a supplement in various diseases ranging from insomnia to immunological and gastrointestinal disorders. However, emerging studies highlight potential toxicological concerns associated with exogenous melatonin use, especially in specific populations. This review provided a comprehensive exploration of melatonin's dual role as a therapeutic and potentially toxic agent. It summarized what is currently known about its pharmacological, toxicological, and biochemical characteristics as well as toxicity mechanisms, and safety concerns in susceptible groups. By highlighting new knowledge gaps about melatonin's clinical uses, the study opens the door for further studies to maximize its therapeutic benefits while maintaining its safety.
褪黑素是一种主要在松果体中合成的内源性化学物质，因其调节睡眠和昼夜节律等激素作用而广为人知。通过抗氧化还原、抗炎和免疫调节等机制，褪黑素在体外条件下表现出生物化学特性。除了这些功能外，褪黑素因其药理学益处而受到关注，特别是作为一种治疗剂，在从失眠到免疫和胃肠道疾病等各种疾病中作为补充剂进行外源性给药。然而，新出现的研究强调了与外源性使用褪黑素相关的潜在毒理学问题，尤其是在特定人群中。本综述全面探讨了褪黑素作为治疗剂和潜在有毒剂的双重作用。它总结了目前已知的其药理学、毒理学和生物化学特征以及毒性机制，以及易感人群中的安全问题。通过突出关于褪黑素临床用途的新知识空白，该研究为进一步研究打开了大门，以在保持其安全性的同时最大限度地发挥其治疗益处。
