Viral diseases

Viral diseases

Melatonin is, in a sense, a star among the body’s natural antioxidants, because it fights and neutralises free radicals down to the cellular level, protecting DNA from damage. But its potential as a free radical catcher doesn’t stop there – melatonin is also able to stimulate the cells’ production of further free-radical interceptors, which further boosts its anti-oxidative effect.

Strengthening the immune system

These properties are of particular interest for fighting and treating viral diseases such as Ebola and herpes as well as those caused by coronavirus, such as 2019-nCoV. In addition, melatonin boosts the immune system, which is a key factor of any successful therapy, especially during viral pandemics.

Melatonin protects cells

Viruses always need host cells to replicate in the human organism. One way to treat viral diseases is therefore based on preventing this process. Studies are increasingly suggesting that coronaviruses in particular attack human cells via ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2).

Melatonin and coronaviruses

Melatonin indirectly regulates ACE2 expression and has been deemed to be a promising agent in the fight against coronavirus in several studies, as it could prevent infection of these cells. At the same time, it also prevents the premature cell death of these infected cells (apoptosis), which not only slows the spread of infection but also buys the immune system more time to adapt to the infection.

2022-06-19

Melatonin, an endogenous indoleamine, is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory molecule widely distributed in the body. It efficiently regulates pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines under various pathophysiological conditions. The melatonin rhythm, which is strongly associated with oxidative lesions and mitochondrial dysfunction, is also observed during the biological process of aging. Melatonin levels decline considerably with age and are related to numerous age-related illnesses.

2022-06-16

Coronaviruses (CoVs) usually affect the respiratory system of mammals causing mild to severe infections. In the past two decades pathogenic human CoVs with high morbidity and mortality such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) emerged from animal reservoirs.

2022-06-03

COVID-19 is a complex disease with short- and long-term respiratory, inflammatory and neurological symptoms that are triggered by the infection with SARS-CoV-2. Invasion of the brain by SARS-CoV-2 has been observed in humans and is postulated to be involved in post-COVID state. Brain infection is particularly pronounced in the K18-hACE2 mouse model of COVID-19. Prevention of brain infection in the acute phase of the disease might thus be of therapeutic relevance to prevent long-lasting symptoms of COVID-19.

2022-06-03

Despite intense investigation, the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and the newly defined long COVID-19 syndrome are not fully understood. Increasing evidence has been provided of metabolic alterations characterizing this group of disorders, with particular relevance of an activated tryptophan/kynurenine pathway as described in this review.

2022-02-18

Numerous pharmaceutical drugs have been repurposed for use as treatments for COVID-19 disease. These drugs have not consistently demonstrated high efficacy in preventing or treating this serious condition and all have side effects to differing degrees. We encourage the continued consideration of the use of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, melatonin, as a countermeasure to a SARS-CoV-2 infection.

2022-02-10

Infection of humans with SARS-CoV-2 virus causes a disease known colloquially as “COVID-19” with symptoms ranging from asymptomatic to severe pneumonia.

2022-01-08

This study aimed to determine the effect of melatonin on thrombosis, sepsis, and mortality rate in adult patients with severe coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

2021-12-20

SARS-CoV-2 has ravaged the population of the world for two years. Scientists have not yet identified an effective therapy to reduce the mortality of severe COVID-19 patients. In a single-center, open-label, randomized clinical trial, it was observed that melatonin treatment lowered the mortality rate by 93% in severely-infected COVID-19 patients compared with the control group (see below). This is seemingly the first report to show such a huge mortality reduction in severe COVID-19 infected individuals with a simple treatment. If this observation is confirmed by more rigorous clinical trials, melatonin could become an important weapon to combat this pandemic.

2021-07-18

Viral infections constitute a tectonic convulsion in the normophysiology of the hosts. The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is not an exception, and therefore the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, like any other invading microbe, enacts a generalized immune response once the virus contacts the body.

2021-06-12

In experimental conditions, it has been demonstrated that vaccine efficacy and the toxicity is depending on cytokine-induced immunoinflammatory response, and that they may be modulate through a neuroimmune approach, which neuroendocrine agents, such as the pineal hormone melatonin (MLT) and the enzymatic product of ACE2, the angiotensin 1-7 (Ang 1-7). On these bases, a preliminary study was planned to evaluate the influence of an oral peri-vaccination regimen with MLT plus Ang 1-7 on the subjective safety of Covid19 Pfizer-BioNTech (PF) and AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccines.

2021-06-06

Melatonin has been known as an anti-inflammatory agent and immune modulator that may address progressive pathophysiology of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Aim of the study. To evaluate the clinical efficacy of adjuvant, use of melatonin in patients with COVID-19.

2021-05-08

Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is spreading rapidly in the world and is still taking a heavy toll. Studies show that cytokine storms and imbalances in T-helper (Th)1/Th2 play a significant role in most acute cases of the disease.

2021-04-01

Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is a complex disease that causes illness ranging from mild to severe respiratory problems. It is caused by a novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2) that is an enveloped positive-sense single-stranded RNA (+ssRNA) virus belongs to coronavirus CoV family.

2021-03-13

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are a group of single stranded RNA viruses, of which some of them such as SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 are associated with deadly worldwide human diseases. Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), a condition caused by SARS-CoV-2, results in acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) associated with high mortality in the elderly and in people with underlying comorbidities.

2021-01-23

Viral infections may cause neurological disorders by directly inducing oxidative stress and interrupting immune system function, both of which contribute to neuronal death. Several reports have described the neurological manifestations in Covid-19 patients where, in severe cases of the infection, brain inflammation and encephalitis are common.

2021-01-20

We explored the sleep quality of patients who required mental health and clinical interventions in our hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19.

2021-01-06

The pandemic dissemination of the SARS-CoV-2 led, on the one hand, to a worldwide effort to develop mechanistic-based therapeutics and vaccines, and on the other hand, the searching for determining the spreaders and the mechanisms of transmission. Melatonin, a multitask molecule, orchestrates defense responses by allowing the proper mounting, duration, and magnitude of innate immune responses.

2021-01-03

Competition among pharmaceutical companies to develop safe and effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 is high. However, based on the prior experience with the influenza vaccine, up to 50% in lack of effectiveness would be found among healthy adults receiving effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2.

2020-11-03

The therapeutic potential of melatonin as a chronobiotic cytoprotective agent to counteract the consequences of COVID-19 infections has been advocated. Because of its wide-ranging effects as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory compound, melatonin could be unique in impairing the consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

2020-10-26

The global Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has led to unprecedented social and economic consequences. The risk of morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19 increases dramatically in the presence of co-existing medical conditions while the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Furthermore, there are no proven effective therapies for COVID-19. This study aims to identify SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis, diseases manifestations, and COVID-19 therapies using network medicine methodologies along with clinical and multi-omics observations.

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