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The relationship between anesthesia and melatonin: a review

Rui Guo, Junming Ye, Baozhen Liao, Xin Luo, P. M. M. Rao

Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2023

26 citations

Abstract

Introduction: This comprehensive review delves into the intricate and multifaceted relationship between anesthesia and melatonin, aiming to provide essential insights for perioperative clinical anesthesiologists and stimulate interest in related research. Anesthesia and surgery have the potential to disrupt melatonin secretion, leading to sleep disorders, postoperative neurocognitive dysfunction and other symptoms. In comparison to previous reviews, this review provides a comprehensive summary of the various aspects linking melatonin and anesthesia, going beyond isolated perspectives. It explores the potential benefits of administering melatonin during the perioperative period, including alleviating anxiety, reducing pain, enhancing perioperative sleep quality, as well as demonstrating immunomodulatory and anti-tumor effects, potentially offering significant advantages for cancer surgery patients. Recent Findings: Anesthesia and surgery have a significant impact on melatonin secretion, the hormone crucial for maintaining circadian rhythms. These procedures disrupt the normal secretion of melatonin, leading to various adverse effects such as sleep disturbances, pain, and postoperative neurocognitive dysfunction. However, the administration of exogenous melatonin during the perioperative period has yielded promising results. It has been observed that perioperative melatonin supplementation can effectively reduce anxiety levels, improve pain management, enhance the quality of…

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