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Melatonin as a potential adjuvant treatment for COVID-19 beyond sleep disorders

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Category: Covid Health Resources

Created: Wednesday, 11 August 2021 02:22

Written by Adam Wichniak, Aleksander Kania, Mariusz Siemiński, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała

Melatonin is registered to treat circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders and insomnia in patients aged 55 years and over. The essential role of the circadian sleep rhythm in the deterioration of sleep quality during COVID-19 confinement and the lack of an adverse effect of melatonin on respiratory drive indicate that melatonin has the potential to be a recommended treatment for sleep disturbances related to COVID-19. This review article describes the effects of melatonin additional to its sleep-related effects, which make this drug an attractive therapeutic option for treating patients with COVID-19.

The preclinical data suggest that melatonin may inhibit COVID-19 progression. It may lower the risk of the entrance of the SARS-CoV-2 virus into cells, reduce uncontrolled hyper-inflammation and the activation of immune cells, limit the damage of tissues and multiorgan failure due to the action of free radicals, and reduce ventilator-induced lung injury and the risk of disability resulting from fibrotic changes within the lungs.

Melatonin may also increase the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccination.

The high safety profile of melatonin and its potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 effects make this molecule a preferable drug for treating sleep disturbances in COVID-19 patients. However, randomized clinical trials are needed to verify the clinical usefulness of melatonin in the treatment of COVID-19.

Source : https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34445329/