Melatonin as a Therapeutic Resource for Inflammatory Visual Diseases

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Neuroscience
• Immunology

Background:

• Uveitis and optic neuritis are common, damaging inflammatory eye diseases.
• Current treatments like corticosteroids have limited efficacy and significant side effects.
• These conditions pose challenges for ophthalmologists and public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the therapeutic benefits of melatonin in experimental models of uveitis and optic neuritis.

Main Methods:

• Investigated the role of oxidative/nitrosative stress, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and prostaglandins in disease pathogenesis.
• Assessed melatonin's antioxidant, antinitridergic, and anti-inflammatory properties in ocular tissues.

Main Results:

• Melatonin effectively reduces oxidative/nitrosative damage, TNF, and prostaglandin levels in the retina and optic nerve.
• Melatonin prevents both functional and structural damage in experimental uveitis and optic neuritis.
• Melatonin actively suppresses ongoing ocular inflammatory responses.

Conclusions:

• Melatonin demonstrates significant protective effects against ocular inflammation.
• Melatonin presents potential as a novel anti-inflammatory therapy in ophthalmology.