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Updated: Jul 24, 2025

Murine Hind Limb Long Bone Dissection and Bone Marrow Isolation
Published on: April 14, 2016
Melatonin and bone-related diseases: an updated mechanistic overview of current evidence and future prospects
Abolfazl Bagherifard1, Azam Hosseinzadeh2, Fereshteh Koosha3
1Bone and Joint Reconstruction Research Center, Department of Orthopedics, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Purpose:
Bone diseases account for an enormous cost burden on health systems. Bone disorders are considered as age-dependent diseases. The aging of world population has encouraged scientists to further explore the most effective preventive modalities and therapeutic strategies to overcome and reduce the high cost of bone disorders. Herein, we review the current evidence of melatonin's therapeutic effects on bone-related diseases.
Methods:
This review summarized evidences from in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies regarding the effects of melatonin on bone-related diseases, with a focus on the molecular mechanisms. Electronically, Scopus and MEDLINE®/PubMed databases were searched for articles published on melatonin and bone-related diseases from inception to June 2023.
Results:
The findings demonstrated that melatonin has beneficial effect in bone- and cartilage-related disorders such as osteoporosis, bone fracture healing, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis, in addition to the control of sleep and circadian rhythms.
Conclusion:
A number of animal and clinical studies have indicated that various biological effects of melatonin may suggest this molecule as an effective therapeutic agent for controlling, diminishing, or suppressing bone-related disorders. Therefore, further clinical studies are required to clarify whether melatonin can be effective in patients with bone-related diseases.
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