Effect of melatonin on oxidative stress markers in patients with alopecia areata

multifocal disorder of hair , nonscarring , Alopecia areata is an autoimmune which occur on any hair bearing site , characterized by circular bald areas growth of the Recent study reported a potential . The exact cause of alopecia areata is unknown . body . in pathogenesis of alopecia areata ) OFR ( oxygen free radicals role of study was designed to evaluate the antioxidant effect of melatonin This clinical two This study revealed that . in patients with alopecia areata ) mg every other day ٣ ( month treatment with melatonin antioxidant led to a decrease in the basal level of malondialdehyde (MDA) an index of lipid peroxidation, an increase in basal glutathione (GSH) content a major endogenous antioxidant in both plasma and erythrocytes and an increase in plasma total antioxidant status( TAS ) . The most important point is the clinical significance of antioxidants in improving the hair growth response of patients with alopecia areata. This may be due to direct and/or indirect effect of melatonin on immune system. The direct effect may be through its immunoenhancing / immunostimulatory properties of melatonin.The indirect effect is the scavenging activity of this antioxidant, which in turn decrease damaging effect of oxygen free radicals (OFR) and utilization of GSH in neutralizing phagocytesinduced free radicals. So replenishment of GSH within natural killer (immune) cells strengthens the immune system and increases the rate of hair growth.