Manila Doctors Hospital and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) are conducting the world’s first test using Melatonin sleep-aid supplements as a treatment for COVID-19.
The study will be the first Randomized Controlled Trial in the world which will explore the effectiveness and safety of using high dose melatonin (hdM) as adjuvant therapy – the primary or main treatment – on top of standard therapy in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.
The first Philippine hospital to test Melatonin is working with the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) for the study, “Melatonin as Adjuvant treatment for COVID-19 in those patients requiring hospitalization (MAC19 PRO): A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial (RCT).”
The test will use Melatonin supplement hoping to reduce respiratory morbidity due to COVID-19-induced Pneumonia that has turned patients into severe cases.
Melatonin is a hormone in the body that plays a role in sleep. The production and release of melatonin in the brain are connected to the time of day, increasing when it’s dark and decreasing when it’s light.
Melatonin is also available as a supplement, typically as an oral tablet which is used by people with sleep disorders, such as insomnia and jet lag.
A commonly available and inexpensive sleep-aid supplement, melatonin is also known for its Anti-inflammation, Anti-oxidation, and Immune-Enhancing effects which may help alleviate acute respiratory distress caused by viral infections like COVID-19.
“We are aiming to build on the use of melatonin as a commonly available supplement to support our fight against COVID-19,” DOST-PCHRD Executive Director Jaime Montoya also note that. “If the project proves to be successful, we may be able to de-escalate COVID-19 cases better, and possibly reduce the mortality rate of the infection.”
The pilot study done for the project has also been accepted for publication in the Melatonin Research Journal, which observed that patients given with hdM showed faster clinical improvement. The article will be released next month.
The trial will run for four months and will be conducted in more selected hospitals in Metro Manila and Cebu City.
DOST is also conducting clinical trials at the UP-PGH and Sta. Rosa Hospital using Virgin Coconut Oil as a treatment for COVID-19 patients.
Meanwhile, the Philippines has joined the World Health Organization’s Solidarity Trials for the treatment of coronavirus disease.
SEND CHEERS in the comments below to Manila Doctors Hospital and DOST for finding ways to use Melatonin to treat coronavirus disease.
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