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Could melatonin have a potential adjuvant role in the treatment of the lasting anosmia associated with COVID-19? A review.

International journal of developmental neuroscience : the official journal of the International Society for Developmental Neuroscience
October 1, 2022
Ellen M S Xerfan et al. (8 authors)
Journal ArticleReviewHuman Study
Extracted Claims (7)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
melatonin
increase
olfactory sensory neurons
-
-
could promote the recovery
#1
melatonin
neutral
anosmia
-
-
may be linked with
#2
melatonin
neutral
oxidative stress
-
-
play a part in
#3
melatonin
neutral
regulation of inflammation
-
-
play a part in
#4
melatonin
neutral
COVID-19
-
-
may have potential in the treatment of
#5
melatonin
neutral
olfactory cells
-
-
might have an effect on
#6
imbalanced release of melatonin by the pineal gland associated with sleep disturbance
neutral
anosmia
-
-
may play a role in
#7
Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Anosmia, the loss of the sense of smell, is usually associated with rhinopathies and has been reported as a common symptom of COVID-19. There is no specific drug to treat this condition, although some evidence suggests that melatonin could promote the recovery of olfactory sensory neurons. METHODS: We set out to perform a narrative review to synthesize the current evidence in this area in respect of our hypothesis that melatonin may be linked with anosmia and play a part in oxidative stress and the regulation of inflammation. The main electronic databases (MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane) were searched. RESULTS: The search produced 26 articles related to our hypothesis. Some studies examined issues related to melatonin's effects and its use as adjuvant therapy for COVID-19. Despite some studies suggesting that melatonin may have potential in the treatment of COVID-19, to the best of our knowledge, there have been no trials that have used it to treat anosmia associated with the disease. Few articles identified proposed that melatonin might have an effect on olfactory cells. DISCUSSION: Further experimental and clinical research on the role of circadian melatonin in the olfactory system is warranted. This will provide evidence of the use of melatonin in the management of anosmia. A number of identified studies suggest that the imbalanced release of melatonin by the pineal gland associated with sleep disturbance may play a role in anosmia, although the specific pathway is not yet entirely clear. This may be a base for further research into the potential role of melatonin as adjuvant treatment of anosmia.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
AnosmiaCOVID-19HumansMelatoninOxidative Stress
Study Links
Citation Metrics
Total Citations2
Citations/Year0.7
Relative Citation Ratio0.28
NIH Percentile14.8%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.25
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