Therapeutic targets and potential delivery systems of melatonin in osteoarthritis

Xiong Z, Peng G, Deng J, Liu M, Ning X, Zhuang Y, Yang H, Sun H · Front Immunol

Assembles the chondrocyte and animal work in which melatonin restores mitochondrial membrane potential, ATP, mtDNA and respiratory-chain components, lowers reactive oxygen species and cytokine signalling, and reduces chondrocyte death, through pathways including SIRT1, Nrf2 and NF-kappa-B. On pain it cites animal analgesia and human trials in fibromyalgia, migraine and irritable bowel, and one temporomandibular osteoarthritis rat study; it names no human trial of melatonin with a joint endpoint. Concludes that research on melatonin and mitochondria in osteoarthritis chondrocytes remains insufficient and that sustained-release carriers for intra-articular injection are the route to clinical use.

Population

Narrative review of melatonin's targets in osteoarthritis (oxidative stress, inflammation, chondrocyte death) and of delivery systems for intra-articular use

Intervention

n/a

Comparator

n/a

Limitations

Narrative review with no protocol and no funding statement; the authors declare no commercial or financial conflict. Every osteoarthritis efficacy finding it reports is cell culture or animal.