Clinical Aspects of Melatonin-Review

Abstract

The pineal gland primarily secretes melatonin, also referred to as the sleep hormone, in dark environments. Melatonin controls the body's circadian cycle. It has advantageous applications as an adjuvant in the biomedical sector due to its inherent qualities, which include high cell permeability, ease of passage through the placenta and blood–brain barriers, and its function as an endogenous reservoir of free radical scavengers (with indirect additional actions). Like other hormones, melatonin can operate through particular cellular receptors on the plasma membrane or through receptorindependent pathways that include intricate molecular cross-talk with other substances. More and more research is showing that melatonin has remarkable health benefits, even when taken exogenously. We provide an overview of the molecular pathways in which melatonin is regarded as a master regulator, paying particular attention to the processes of inflammation and cell death from fundamental, translational, and clinical perspectives.