Role of Melatonin in Aluminum-Related Neurodegenerative Disorders: a Review.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate melatonin's potential protective effects against aluminum-related neurodegenerative disorders, particularly its role in reducing oxidative stress and amyloid-β toxicity.
Results Summary
Melatonin demonstrated protective effects against aluminum-induced neurotoxicity by acting as a free radical scavenger and antioxidant, reducing amyloid-β generation, and inhibiting mitochondrial cell death pathways. The study suggests melatonin could be a useful supplement in treating neurological disorders involving oxidative stress.
Population
Not specified (general neurodegenerative disorder context).
Effective Dosage
Not specified.
Duration
Not specified.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aluminum (Al) | neutral | human health | human | - | provokes various adverse effects | #1 |
Aluminum (Al) | neutral | serious neurodegenerative diseases | - | - | associated with | #2 |
Aluminum (Al) metal complexes | increase | amyloid-β (Aβ) | - | - | potentiate the rate of aggregation | #3 |
Aluminum (Al) metal complexes | increase | amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide | - | - | enhancing the toxicity | #4 |
melatonin (Mel) | increase | important related antioxidant enzymes | - | - | acts increasing the activity | #5 |
melatonin (Mel) | decrease | oxidative stress and cell death | neurons exposed to Aβ-induced neurotoxicity | - | preventing | #6 |
melatonin (Mel) | decrease | Aβ generation | - | - | reducing | #7 |
melatonin (Mel) | decrease | mitochondrial cell death pathways | - | - | inhibiting | #8 |
melatonin (Mel) | neutral | Al-related neurodegenerative disorders | - | - | protective effects | #9 |
melatonin (Mel) | neutral | - | - | - | low toxicity | #10 |
melatonin (Mel) | neutral | treatment of neurological disorders | - | - | support the administration | #11 |
Aluminum (Al), a potentially neurotoxic element, provokes various adverse effects on human health such as dialysis dementia, osteomalacia, and microcytic anemia. It has been also associated with serious neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Parkinsonism dementia of Guam. The "aluminum hypothesis" of AD assumes that the metal complexes can potentiate the rate of aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ), enhancing the toxicity of this peptide, and being able of contributing to the pathogenesis of AD. It has been supported by a number of analytical, epidemiological, and neurotoxicological studies. On the other hand, melatonin (Mel) is a potent direct free radical scavenger and indirect antioxidant, which acts increasing the activity of important related antioxidant enzymes, and preventing oxidative stress and cell death of neurons exposed to Aβ-induced neurotoxicity. Therefore, Mel might be useful in the treatment of AD by reducing the Aβ generation and by inhibiting mitochondrial cell death pathways. The present review on the role of Mel in Al-related neurodegenerative disorders concludes that the protective effects of this hormone, together with its low toxicity, support the administration of Mel as a potential supplement in the treatment of neurological disorders, in which oxidative stress is involved.