AUTHOR=Guo Rui , Ye Junming , Liao Baozhen , Luo Xin , Rao Panguo 

TITLE=The relationship between anesthesia and melatonin: a review

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology

VOLUME=Volume 14 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2023.1255752

DOI=10.3389/fphar.2023.1255752

ISSN=1663-9812

ABSTRACT=This comprehensive review delves into the intricate relationship between anesthesia and melatonin. Melatonin, a vital endogenous hormone produced by the pineal gland, plays a pivotal role in regulating circadian rhythms. However, anesthesia and surgery can disrupt melatonin secretion, resulting in sleep disturbances and postoperative neurocognitive dysfunction. This review explores the potential benefits of perioperative melatonin administration, including its ability to alleviate anxiety, relieve pain, improve perioperative sleep, and exhibit immunomodulatory and anti-tumor effects, making it especially advantageous for cancer surgery patients.