Melatonin: therapeutic potential for stroke and other neurodegenerative diseases

Abstract

Neurodegenerative diseases are a serious health issue globally. High morbidity and mortality of these disorders lead to researchers further exploring more effective preventive and therapeutic remedies to combat these devastating diseases. An important strategy is to delay the progression of these debilitating diseases. The prevalence of neurodegenerative disease increases with aging which not only results in neuronal deterioration, but also causes the brain ischemia leading to stroke, and death. Melatonin, a potent endogenous antioxidant mainly secreted by the pineal gland, has often used in the treatment of neuropathologies with great success. Herein, we review the current evidence documenting melatonin’s therapeutic effects on neurodegenerative and brain ischemic diseases; we also summarize the known molecular mechanisms of its protective actions.