title: Protective role of melatonin in neonatal diseases.
abstract: Oxidative stress contributes to the severity of several newborn conditions to the extent that Saugstad coined the phrase "oxygen radical diseases of neonatology." In order to counteract free radicals damage many strategies to augment antioxidant status in ill-term and preterm infants have been proposed and several medications have been experimented with mixed results. Several studies have tested the efficacy of melatonin to counteract oxidative damage in diseases of newborns such as chronic lung disease, perinatal brain injury, necrotizing enterocolitis, and retinopathy of prematurity, giving promising results. The peculiar perinatal susceptibility to oxidative stress indicates that prophylactic use of antioxidants as melatonin could help to prevent or at least reduce oxidative stress related diseases in newborns. However, more studies are needed to confirm these beneficial effects.
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 98125 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Eloisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gitto
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 98125 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marseglia
authors.affiliation: Unit of Pediatric Genetics and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria 1, 98125 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manti
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 98125 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Angelo
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 98125 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Ignazio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Barberi
authors.affiliation: Unit of Pediatric Genetics and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria 1, 98125 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Carmelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salpietro
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 40729, USA.
authors.forename: Russel J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Reiter
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D020011:Protective Agents; D008550:Melatonin