Involvement of Oxidative Stress and Nutrition in the Anatomy of Orofacial Pain.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to explore the potential role of melatonin as an antioxidant molecule in the management of orofacial pain and its association with oxidative stress and inflammation.
Results Summary
The study suggests melatonin may play a beneficial role in modulating orofacial pain due to its antioxidant properties, though specific efficacy data is not detailed. The abstract highlights the potential influence of nutrition and diet on pain pathophysiology, implying melatonin could be part of a broader therapeutic approach.
Population
Not specified (general discussion of orofacial pain pathophysiology).
Effective Dosage
Not provided
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
melatonin | decrease | orofacial pain | - | - | possible action | #1 |
nutrition and diet | neutral | pathophysiology of orofacial pain | - | - | potential influence | #2 |
Pain is a very important problem of our existence, and the attempt to understand it is one the oldest challenges in the history of medicine. In this review, we summarize what has been known about pain, its pathophysiology, and neuronal transmission. We focus on orofacial pain and its classification and features, knowing that is sometimes purely subjective and not well defined. We consider the physiology of orofacial pain, evaluating the findings on the main neurotransmitters; in particular, we describe the roles of glutamate as approximately 30-80% of total peripheric neurons associated with the trigeminal ganglia are glutamatergic. Moreover, we describe the important role of oxidative stress and its association with inflammation in the etiogenesis and modulation of pain in orofacial regions. We also explore the warning and protective function of orofacial pain and the possible action of antioxidant molecules, such as melatonin, and the potential influence of nutrition and diet on its pathophysiology. Hopefully, this will provide a solid background for future studies that would allow better treatment of noxious stimuli and for opening new avenues in the management of pain.