Acute bacterial meningitis is more prevalent in resource-poor than resource-rich areas.
The pathogenesis of BM [bacterial meningitis] involves complex mechanisms that are related to bacterial survival and multiplication in the bloodstream, increased permeability of blood–brain barrier (BBB), oxidative stress, and excessive inflammatory response in CNS.
Considering drug-resistant bacteria increases the difficulty of meningitis treatment and the vaccine also has been limited to several serotypes, and the morbidity rate of BM still is very high.
Melatonin is mainly secreted in the pineal gland and can cross the BBB. Melatonin and its metabolite have been reported as effective antioxidants and anti-inflammation, which are potentially useful as prevention and treatment therapy of BM.
In bacterial meningitis, melatonin can play multiple protection effects in BM through various mechanisms, including immune response, antibacterial ability, the protection of BBB integrity, free radical scavenging, anti-inflammation, signaling pathways, and gut microbiome.
The pathogenesis of BM mainly includes high-level bacteremia in the bloodstream, the destruction of the BBB integrity, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis [increased white blood cell count], overwhelming inflammatory response in the CNS, which results in serious damage to the nervous system…
Melatonin is a hormone with various biological functions. It is first found to be secreted by the pineal gland and then melatonin can be found to be secreted by other various organs including skin, retina, kidneys, pancreas, ovaries, and gastrointestinal tract.
[M]elatonin is well known for regulating circadian rhythms, sleep, and reproduction.
[A] number of studies have shown that melatonin has many other crucial functions, such as antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammation, anti-apoptosis regulating the immune system, and gut microbiome.
At present, the beneficial effects of melatonin on protecting the BBB integrity, inhibiting neuronal and glial injury in various models of CNS disease have been well documented.
[T]his review mainly focuses on the neuroprotective effects of melatonin, which include antibacterial, blocking the interaction of bacteria and receptors, protection of the BBB integrity, resisting oxidative stress, anti-inflammatory activity…
Melatonin as a health product is widely sold in the market. Over the past few decades, it was found that the bioavailability of melatonin in humans was significantly lower than that in rodents.
[T]he bioavailability of melatonin is also significantly increased when taken with caffeine or vitamin E/C in human subjects.
The outcome of bacterial meningitis is related to the destruction of the BBB integrity, excessive inflammatory responses, and nerve cell apoptosis.
Although advances in antibiotic therapy and vaccine development, bacterial meningitis still remarkably causes high morbidity and mortality among children, infants, elders, and immunocompromised patients.
[T]he limitation of vaccine and antibiotic resistance increases [the] difficulty in preventing and treating bacterial meningitis, and cannot timely and effectively prevent neural tissue from injury.
In this review, we have shown that melatonin plays an important role as antibacterial, antioxidant, free radical scavenger, and immune system regulator…
[T]here are many clinical studies of melatonin on neuroprotection in different neurological diseases.
[I]t was demonstrated that a 20 mg dose of melatonin supplement could reduce inflammation in serum and increase survival of newborns with sepsis.
[T]he application of melatonin at a dose of 10 mg/kg, 5 times a day, could reduce newborns’ new epilepsy and brain anomalies.
In conclusion, melatonin has been found to have various mechanisms against bacterial meningitis.