Melatonin is an important
hormone for regulating mammalian circadian biology and cellular homeostasis. Recent evidence has shown that
melatonin exerts anti-nociception effects in both animals and humans. However, according to clinical trials, the anti-nociception effects of
melatonin are still controversial. The aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate the anti-nociception effects of
melatonin premedication. The primary outcome was the effects of
melatonin on
pain intensity. The secondary outcomes included the number of patients with
analgesic requirements, total
analgesic consumption, and
brain-derived neurotrophic factor (
BDNF) levels. In total, 19 studies were included in the current meta-analysis. The pooling data show that
melatonin significantly decreased the
pain intensity, as evidenced by the
pain scores. Moreover,
melatonin administration also reduced the proportion of patients with
analgesic requirements and
BDNF levels. However, the effects of
melatonin on total
analgesic consumption still require further confirmation. Collectively, the current meta-analysis supports the use of
melatonin for anti-nociception.