Implications of melatonin therapy in irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to review clinical and non-clinical data on melatonin's effects on the GI tract and its potential role in treating IBS.
Results Summary
The study found that melatonin significantly improved IBS symptoms, including reduced abdominal pain and better overall symptom scores, and demonstrated anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and motility-regulating effects in the GI tract.
Population
IBS patients and general GI disorder cases (based on reviewed studies).
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
melatonin | decrease | endogenous melatonin concentration | IBS patients | - | disturbances in | #1 |
exogenous melatonin | decrease | abdominal pain | IBS patients | - | significant benefits of | #2 |
exogenous melatonin | increase | overall IBS symptom scores | IBS patients | - | improvement of | #3 |
melatonin | increase | GI tract | - | - | anxiolytic effects of | #4 |
melatonin | decrease | GI tract | - | - | anti-inflammatory effects of | #5 |
melatonin | decrease | GI tract | - | - | anti oxidative effects of | #6 |
melatonin | increase | GI tract | - | - | motility regulatory effects of | #7 |
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a highly prevalent chronic functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder associated with abdominal pain and change in bowel habits that its etiology is not known yet. In the recent years, melatonin has been proposed as a possible candidate. In the present work, all clinical or non-clinical data about effects of melatonin in GI tract and IBS obtained from literature without time limit up to August 2010 have been studied and reviewed. Eight clinical trials were reviewed for efficacy and disturbance of melatonin in IBS and other GI disorders. The results showed disturbances in endogenous melatonin concentration in IBS patients and significant benefits of exogenous melatonin in these patients by decreasing abdominal pain and improvement of overall IBS symptom scores. The results of seventeen non-clinical studies showed anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, anti oxidative and motility regulatory effects of melatonin on GI tract. In conclusion melatonin can be a target of interest in IBS because of its potentials to regulate GI motility.