Melatonin: Functions and Ligands

September 2014 in “ Drug discovery today ”

Mahaveer Singh, Hemant R. Jadhav

melatonin alopecia hair growth hair pigmentation endocrine disorders

TLDR Melatonin helps regulate sleep and may aid in treating various health issues.

The document reviewed the pathways controlling melatonin secretion and its roles in the body, including synthesis in various organs and its regulation by light and dark conditions. Melatonin was found to manage disorders like depression, insomnia, epilepsy, Alzheimer's, diabetes, obesity, alopecia, migraine, cancer, and immune and cardiac disorders. It highlighted melatonin's antioxidant properties and potential in neuroprotection and CNS disorders, emphasizing the need for better alopecia treatments due to melatonin's role in hair growth and pigmentation. The review concluded by discussing age-related declines in melatonin secretion and their link to endocrine disorders in older adults.

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