Melatonin interferes with COVID-19 at several distinct ROS-related steps.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate melatonin's potential as a therapeutic agent for COVID-19 by examining its ability to counteract oxidative stress, inflammation, and hypoxia caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Results Summary
The study found that melatonin inhibits myeloperoxidase (MPO), reducing oxidative stress and improving COVID-19 prognosis by preventing oxygen deficiency, vitamin B12 deficiency, and sleep disturbances. It also highlighted melatonin's anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and neuroprotective effects.
Population
Patients with COVID-19 (specific demographic details not provided).
Effective Dosage
Not specified.
Duration
Not specified.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
melatonin | decrease | inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, neuroprotection | - | - | has been noted for its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-apoptotic, and neuroprotective actions | #1 |
melatonin | neutral | COVID-19 | - | - | has been proposed as a safe therapeutic agent for COVID-19 | #2 |
melatonin | decrease | destructive interactions of HOCl with tetrapyrrole rings, oxygen deficiency, hypoxia, vitamin B12 deficiency, NO deficiency, increased oxidative stress, sleep disturbance | - | - | acts to prevent these events | #3 |
melatonin | increase | COVID-19 prognosis | - | - | improving | #4 |
neutrophil myeloperoxidase (MPO) | increase | MPO levels | - | - | is thought to be especially abundant | #5 |
neutrophil myeloperoxidase (MPO) | increase | oxidative stress and the pathophysiology of COVID-19 | - | - | contributes substantially to | #6 |
cytokine storm | increase | reactive oxygen species (ROS) | - | - | leads to excessive production and accumulation of | #7 |
reactive oxygen species (ROS) | increase | clinical signs characteristic of COVID-19 | - | - | cause | #8 |
reactive oxygen species (ROS) | decrease | decreased oxygen saturation | - | - | cause | #9 |
reactive oxygen species (ROS) | neutral | alteration of hemoglobin properties | - | - | cause | #10 |
reactive oxygen species (ROS) | decrease | decreased nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability | - | - | cause | #11 |
reactive oxygen species (ROS) | increase | vasoconstriction | - | - | cause | #12 |
reactive oxygen species (ROS) | increase | elevated cytokines | - | - | cause | #13 |
reactive oxygen species (ROS) | increase | cardiac and/or renal injury | - | - | cause | #14 |
reactive oxygen species (ROS) | increase | enhanced D-dimer | - | - | cause | #15 |
reactive oxygen species (ROS) | increase | leukocytosis | - | - | cause | #16 |
reactive oxygen species (ROS) | increase | increased neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio | - | - | cause | #17 |
destructive interactions of HOCl with tetrapyrrole rings | increase | oxygen deficiency and hypoxia | - | - | may contribute to | #18 |
destructive interactions of HOCl with tetrapyrrole rings | increase | vitamin B12 deficiency | - | - | may contribute to | #19 |
destructive interactions of HOCl with tetrapyrrole rings | increase | NO deficiency | - | - | may contribute to | #20 |
destructive interactions of HOCl with tetrapyrrole rings | increase | increased oxidative stress | - | - | may contribute to | #21 |
destructive interactions of HOCl with tetrapyrrole rings | increase | sleep disturbance | - | - | may contribute to | #22 |
Recent studies have shown a correlation between COVID-19, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, and the distinct, exaggerated immune response titled "cytokine storm". This immune response leads to excessive production and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that cause clinical signs characteristic of COVID-19 such as decreased oxygen saturation, alteration of hemoglobin properties, decreased nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability, vasoconstriction, elevated cytokines, cardiac and/or renal injury, enhanced D-dimer, leukocytosis, and an increased neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio. Particularly, neutrophil myeloperoxidase (MPO) is thought to be especially abundant and, as a result, contributes substantially to oxidative stress and the pathophysiology of COVID-19. Conversely, melatonin, a potent MPO inhibitor, has been noted for its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-apoptotic, and neuroprotective actions. Melatonin has been proposed as a safe therapeutic agent for COVID-19 recently, having been given with a US Food and Drug Administration emergency authorized cocktail, REGEN-COV2, for management of COVID-19 progression. This review distinctly highlights both how the destructive interactions of HOCl with tetrapyrrole rings may contribute to oxygen deficiency and hypoxia, vitamin B12 deficiency, NO deficiency, increased oxidative stress, and sleep disturbance, as well as how melatonin acts to prevent these events, thereby improving COVID-19 prognosis.