The results of the present meta- analysis support that melatonin supplementation could be effective on ameliorating of inflammatory mediators
Inflammatory processes are involved in chronic diseases .
It has been suggested that melatonin reduces inflammation by its radical scavenging properties ; however , the results of the previous studies are inconclusive .
The objective of the present meta- analysis is to determine the direction and magnitude of melatonin supplementation effect on inflammatory biomarkers .
Is there a role for melatonin in the treatment of neoplastic cachexia?
It is known that neoplastic cachexia shows metabolic characteristics different from other common causes of malnutrition , and that it is mainly due to an abnormal secretion of TNF , whose levels are often high in patients with advanced neoplasia . Previous clinical studies have suggested that the pineal hormone melatonin ( MLT ) , which plays an essential role in the neuroendocrine regulation of biological systems , may improve the clinical status of advanced cancer patients and inhibit TNF secretion . To investigate the relationship between MLT , TNF and cancer-related weight loss , 100 untreatable metastatic solid tumour patients entered this study to receive either supportive care alone , or supportive care plus MLT ( 20 mg/day orally in the evening ) . Patients were observed for 3 months , and were considered evaluable when they were observed for at least 2 months . There were 86 evaluable patients , the other 14 patients having died from rapid progression of disease . The per cent of weight loss greater than 10 % was significantly higher in patients treated by supportive care alone than in those concomitantly treated by MLT , with no difference in food intake ( P < 0.01 ) . Mean serum levels of TNF progressively increased in the supportive care group , but to levels that were not significantly different from pretreatment values . In contrast , TNF mean concentrations significantly decreased ( P < 0.05 ) in patients concomitantly treated by MLT . These results suggest that the pineal hormone MLT may be effective in the treatment of the neoplastic cachexia by decreasing TNF blood concentrations
The results of the present meta- analysis support that melatonin supplementation could be effective on ameliorating of inflammatory mediators
Inflammatory processes are involved in chronic diseases .
It has been suggested that melatonin reduces inflammation by its radical scavenging properties ; however , the results of the previous studies are inconclusive .
The objective of the present meta- analysis is to determine the direction and magnitude of melatonin supplementation effect on inflammatory biomarkers .