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Effects of Melatonin on Liver Injuries and Diseases

Jiao-Jiao Zhang1, Xiao Meng2, Ya Li3

  • 1Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food, Nutrition and Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China. zhangjj46@mail2.sysu.edu.cn.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|March 24, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Melatonin, a natural antioxidant, shows promise in preventing and treating liver injuries and diseases by regulating key molecular pathways. Further research highlights its potential therapeutic role in various liver pathologies.

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology and Pharmacology
  • Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

Background:

  • Liver injuries and diseases represent a significant global health burden with limited therapeutic options.
  • Factors like pollutants, drugs, and alcohol contribute to diverse liver pathologies, including steatosis, hepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocarcinoma.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the potential therapeutic roles of melatonin in managing liver injuries and diseases.
  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying melatonin's protective effects against liver damage.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive literature review of studies investigating melatonin's effects on liver conditions.
  • Analysis of research focusing on melatonin's modulation of molecular pathways relevant to liver pathophysiology.

Main Results:

  • Melatonin exhibits significant antioxidant properties beneficial for liver health.
  • Melatonin influences critical molecular pathways, including inflammation, cell proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, and autophagy, in various liver disease models.

Conclusions:

  • Melatonin demonstrates considerable potential as a preventative and therapeutic agent for a spectrum of liver injuries and diseases.
  • Understanding melatonin's mechanisms of action is crucial for developing novel liver-protective strategies.
Keywords:
cirrhosiseffectfatty liverfibrosishepatitishepatocarcinomaliver injuriesmelatoninsteatosis

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