PMID: 9556098Apr 29, 1998Paper

Use of melatonin for sleep and circadian rhythm disorders

Annals of Medicine
R L SackR J Hughes

Abstract

Although not licensed as a drug, melatonin is widely sold as a nutritional supplement in the USA for its purported sleep-promoting and antiageing properties. In this article, we provide some guidelines for its use in sleep disorders medicine. In brief, melatonin appears to promote sleep by producing corrective circadian phase shifts, thereby improving the alignment of the endogenous sleep propensity rhythm with the desired sleep schedule. Melatonin may also have a direct soporific effect, especially when administered during the day. We suggest that the direct soporific action results from the release of accumulated sleep drive by melatonin's attenuation of the circadian alerting signal. Melatonin has not been proven safe by the usual clinical trial criteria, but to date no catastrophes have been related to its use. Also, there is little information about the safety and efficacy of chronic administration.

References

Oct 1, 1992·Chronobiology International·A J LewyR L Sack
Oct 7, 1988·Science·S M ReppertE G Stopa
Feb 15, 1985·Science·L TamarkinO F Almeida
Dec 2, 1995·Lancet·R J Wurtman, I Zhdanova
Sep 1, 1995·Sleep·I HaimovN Zisapel
Jun 1, 1996·Brain Research. Cognitive Brain Research·M J PontecorvoT Steckler
May 19, 1998·Neurosurgical Review·R K KoçM Meral

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Dec 29, 2000·Comprehensive Therapy·M L Perlis, S D Youngstedt
Jul 2, 2009·Advances in Therapy·Seithikurippu R Pandi-PerumalDaniel P Cardinali
Apr 16, 2004·Behavioural Brain Research·Christian CajochenDieter Wallach
Feb 18, 2003·The Nursing Clinics of North America·Susan Labyak
Aug 13, 2004·American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine·Francineide L CamposPedro F C de Bruin
Mar 2, 2006·Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin·Syu-ichi KannoMasaaki Ishikawa
Nov 1, 2011·European Journal of Nutrition·Glyn HowatsonJason Ellis
Dec 17, 2009·The Journal of Surgical Research·Bekir AtikSadrettin Pence
Jan 27, 2009·Clinics in Dermatology·Bruno Berra, Angela Maria Rizzo
Mar 27, 2007·Sleep Medicine·Leon C Lack, Helen R Wright
Oct 3, 2003·Journal of Pineal Research·Gotthard G TriblJosef Zeitlhofer
Apr 7, 2004·Journal of Pineal Research·Anita CavalloJane C Khoury
Jun 9, 2004·International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics· VijayalaxmiCharles R Thomas
May 17, 2005·Clinics in Sports Medicine·Damien LegerDominique Choudat
Nov 5, 2005·Oncology Nursing Forum·Ann M BergerMartica Hall
May 16, 2002·Journal of Clinical Oncology : Official Journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology· VijayalaxmiTerence S Herman
Oct 28, 2005·Nature·Mark W Mahowald, Carlos H Schenck
Feb 19, 2011·American Journal of Health-system Pharmacy : AJHP : Official Journal of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists·Cary E JohnsonEmily Rouse
Nov 4, 2000·The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism·H Hao, S Rivkees
Mar 10, 2001·The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism·A Muñoz-HoyosD Acuña-Castroviejo
Mar 4, 2009·The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry : the Official Journal of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry·Siegfried Kasper, Michel Hamon
Nov 30, 2012·Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology·Cezary ChojnackiJan Chojnacki
Jan 11, 2013·The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care : JANAC·Diana M Taibi
Sep 20, 2019·Somnologie : Schlafforschung und Schlafmedizin = Somnology : sleep research and sleep medicine·Christine BlumeManuel Spitschan
Feb 23, 2007·Behavioral Sleep Medicine·Leon C Lack, Helen R Wright
Feb 10, 2000·Journal of Psychopharmacology·T Roth
Oct 30, 2021·Current Medical Research and Opinion·David J Kennaway
Nov 30, 2021·Archiv der Pharmazie·Hussain AlessaJalal T Althakafy

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.