Research progress of melatonin in neonatal ischemic encephalopathy / 国际儿科学杂志

ABSTRACT

Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)is the brain injury caused by asphyxiation in the perinatal period.HIE is a serious health-threatening disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality,and there is no effective treatment for the disease.Melatonin is a neuroendocrine hormone,which is synthesized primarily by the pineal gland.The synthesis and seretion of melatonin are regulated by light intensity.Melatonin has a high affinity for the central nervous system,which can easily penetrate the blood-brain barrier and blood placental barrier.It has been found that melatonin has functions in regulating the sleep cycle,antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.Melatonin has also been shown to regulate lipid and glucose metabolism.Recent research suggests that the melatonin appears to be a versatile anti-oxidative,anti-inflammatory,anti-apoptotic agent,as well as a molecule with regulation of mitochondrial function and autophagy process,and plays a neuroprotective role in HIE.Therefore,this review focuses on the established mechanisms of injury brain protection,progress of animal studies and clinical trials of melatonin in HIE,to provide references for its clinical application.