Melatonin supplementation improves rheumatological disease activity: A systematic review

Background Melatonin is a pineal hormone with a complex role. It is linked to sleep, inflammatory, oxidative, and immunological processes. Aim To review the use of melatonin supplementation in rheumatological diseases. Methods A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Scielo databases was performed, looking for articles on Melatonin and rheumatic diseases published between 1966 and August 2022. Results Thirteen articles were identified: in fibromyalgia (n = 5 articles), rheumatoid arthritis (n = 2), systemic sclerosis (n = 1), systemic lupus erythematosus (n = 1) and osteoporosis/osteopenia (n = 3) and osteoarthritis (n = 1). There were positive results of melatonin administration in fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis/osteopenia but not in rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. The drug was well tolerated with mild side effects. Conclusion This review shows the efficacy of Melatonin in some rheumatic diseases. However, new studies are needed to elucidate the real role of this treatment in rheumatology.