Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 22, 2026

High-Throughput Small Molecule Drug Screening For Age-Related Sleep Disorders Using Drosophila melanogaster
Published on: October 20, 2023
[Melatonina: old molecule, new medicament]
Abstract:
Melatonin is a hormone with indolaminic structure, produced in the pineal gland during darkness, with chronobiological activity that has been known for decades. It is a physiological inducer of sleep and for this indication has been developed as a drug since many years in many international pharmaceutical markets. It has also a relevant antinflammatory and antioxydant capacity that results in beneficial actions on the liver, on cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory processes, in osteoporosis and also in certain tumours. Its neuroprotective action gives founded expectancies of having potential positive effects in several neurodegenerative diseases like parkinson or Alzheimer. It has been recently approved as a drug in the European Medicament Agency (EMEA) and the Spanish Medicament Agency as well. Some of its more relevant pharmacological actions are reviewed.
Related Concept Videos
Management of Insomnia
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...
Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents
Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview
Sedative-hypnotics are categorized into barbiturates, benzodiazepines (BZDs), and non-benzodiazepines or Z-drugs. These drugs work by suppressing central nervous system activity, and this suppression is dose-dependent. Older sedative medications, like barbiturates, follow a linear curve in...
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines work by enhancing the effects of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. They bind to the GABAA receptor, increasing its affinity for GABA, which opens chloride...
Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation

