Pineal hormone melatonin as an adjuvant treatment for COVID­19 (Review).

ABSTRACT

The beneficial properties of the pineal hormone, melatonin, as a neuroprotective and cardioprotective agent, have been previously identified. Furthermore, melatonin plays essential roles in biological rhythms resynchronization, sleep initiation/maintenance and metabolic, ocular, rheumatological diseases. In addition to these functions, melatonin is known to exert immunomodulation, anti­inflammatory and anti­oxidative effects. Due to these properties, coupled with its non­toxic nature, melatonin has been suggested to limit viral infections; however, melatonin cannot be classified as a viricidal drug. In addition, the recent increase in the number of clinical trials on melatonin's role, as an adjuvant treatment for COVID­19, has resurged the interest of the scientific community in this hormone. The present short review aimed to improve the understanding of the antiviral/anti­COVID­19 profile of melatonin and the clinical trials that have recently been conducted, with respect to its co­administration in treating individuals with COVID­19.