Ação da melatonina no tecido cartilaginoso

The authors write a review showing the action of melatonin on the cartilaginous tissue and relate its chemical structure, site of synthesis, and receptors. They report that low levels of melatonin in menopause may be an important factor in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis, since its replacement in rats leads to an increase in bone mineral density and the thickness of articular cartilage. It is also suggested a possible beneficial effect of melatonin in the prevention of articular cartilage lesions, which could be related to the blockade of oxidative stress, since products of this stress, in addition to tyrosine residues, are observed in the cartilage tissue degradation in joint diseases. Furthermore, it is related that melatonin enhances cartilage matrix synthesis. These facts indicate that melatonin may be beneficial to the integrity of cartilaginous tissue, since there is a reduced secretion of melatonin with advancing age, which is related to increased incidence of osteoarthritis.