Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Melatonin in Obesity and Hypertension

• Published in: Current hypertension reports Vol. 20; no. 5; pp. 45 - 12
• Main Authors: Prado, Natalia Jorgelina, Ferder, León, Manucha, Walter, Diez, Emiliano Raúl
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.05.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - therapeutic use; Antioxidants - therapeutic use; Blood Pressure - drug effects; Cardiology; Family Medicine; General Practice; Humans; Hypertension; Hypertension - complications; Hypertension - drug therapy; Hypertension - physiopathology; Hypertension and Obesity (E Reisin; Inflammation; Inflammation - drug therapy; Inflammation - metabolism; Inflammation - physiopathology; Internal Medicine; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Melatonin; Melatonin - therapeutic use; Metabolic Diseases; Mitochondria - metabolism; Nephrology; Obesity; Obesity - complications; Obesity - drug therapy; Obesity - physiopathology; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Primary Care Medicine; Section Editor; Topical Collection on Hypertension and Obesity; Hypertension; Obesity; Oxidative stress; Melatonin; Mitochondria; Inflammation
• ISSN: 1522-6417; 1534-3111
• DOI: 10.1007/s11906-018-0842-6

Purpose of Review Here, we review the known relations between hypertension and obesity to inflammation and postulate the endogenous protective effect of melatonin and its potential as a therapeutic agent. We will describe the multiple effects of melatonin on blood pressure, adiposity, body weight, and focus on mitochondrial-related anti-inflammatory and antioxidant protective effects. Recent Findings Hypertension and obesity are usually associated with systemic and tissular inflammation. The progressive affection of target-organs involves multiple mediators of inflammation, most of them redundant, which make anti-inflammatory strategies ineffective. Melatonin reduces blood pressure, body weight, and inflammation. The mechanisms of action of this ancient molecule of protection involve multiple levels of action, from subcellular to intercellular. Mitochondria is a key inflammatory element in vascular and adipose tissue and a potential pharmacological target. Melatonin protects against mitochondrial dysfunction. Summary Melatonin reduces blood pressure and adipose tissue dysfunction by multiple anti-inflammatory/antioxidant actions and provides potent protection against mitochondria-mediated injury in hypertension and obesity. This inexpensive and multitarget molecule has great therapeutic potential against both epidemic diseases.