Abstract: International Reviews of Immunology ISSN: 0883-0185 (Print) 1563-5244 (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/iiri20 Can melatonin reduce the severity of COVID-19 pandemic? Alex Shneider, Aleksandr Kudriavtsev & Anna Vakhrusheva To cite this article: Alex Shneider, Aleksandr Kudriavtsev & Anna Vakhrusheva (2020) Can melatonin reduce the severity of COVID-19 pandemic?, International Reviews of Immunology, 39:4, 153-162, DOI: 10.1080/08830185.2020.1756284 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/08830185.2020.1756284 Published online: 29 Apr 2020. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 52423 View related articles View Crossmark data Citing articles: 47 View citing articles Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=iiri20 INTERNATIONAL REVIEWS OF IMMUNOLOGY 2020, VOL. 39, NO. 4, 153–162 https://doi.org/10.1080/08830185.2020.1756284 COMMENTARY Can melatonin reduce the severity of COVID-19 pandemic? Alex Shneidera,b,e , Aleksandr Kudriavtsevc,d , and Anna Vakhrushevac a CureLab Oncology, Inc, Dedham, Massachusetts, USA; bDepartment of Molecular Biology, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel; cBiological Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia; dEmanuel Institute of Biochemical Phisics, RAS, Moscow, Russia; e Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, St. Petersburg, Russia ABSTRACT ARTICLE HISTORY The current COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most devastating events in recent history. The virus causes relatively minor damage to young, healthy populations, imposing life-threatening danger to the elderly and people with diseases of chronic inflammation. Therefore, if we could reduce the risk for vulnerable populations, it would make the COVID-19 pandemic more similar to other typical outbreaks. Children don’t suffer from COVID-19 as much as their grandparents and have a much higher melatonin level. Bats are nocturnal animals possessing high levels of melatonin, which may contribute to their high anti-viral resistance. Viruses induce an explosion of inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species, and melatonin is the best natural antioxidant that is lost with age. The programmed cell death coronaviruses cause, which can result in significant lung damage, is also inhibited by melatonin. Coronavirus causes inflammation in the lungs which requires inflammasome activity. Melatonin blocks these inflammasomes. General immunity is impaired by anxiety and sleep deprivation. Melatonin improves sleep habits, reduces anxiety and stimulates immunity. Fibrosis may be the most dangerous complication after COVID-19. Melatonin is known to prevent fibrosis. Mechanical ventilation may be necessary but yet imposes risks due to oxidative stress, which can be reduced by melatonin. Thus, by using the safe over-the-counter drug melatonin, we may be immediately able to prevent the development of severe disease symptoms in coronavirus patients, reduce the severity of their symptoms, and/or reduce the immuno-pathology of coronavirus infection on patients’ health after the active phase of the infection is over. Received 2 April 2020 Accepted 6 April 2020 Elderly have reduced level of melatonin The effect of SARS-CoV-2 on humans is clearly agerelated. So far, very few deaths from COVID-19 have been recorded in people under the age of 20, while the elderly have an excessively high mortality rate...