Re: Why avoidance of the sun might help sarcoidosis? REMARKABLE PAPER

[Guest guest]

Now this is a remarkable paper. It's entirely possible

avaoiding sunlight helpes replentish some sort of melatonin

deficiency.

I had to read this abstract a few times becuase there were SO

many positives.

This is an Italian paper- what is the US Sarcoidosis community

thinking of this

a- are you still plugged into the TM group?

What do they think of it.

Mark:

Do you have the Full Paper?

Thanks,

Barb

>

> You think maybe an increase in melatonin, might be why the MP's

> recommendation to avoid sunlight, helps people with sarcoidosis?

>

> J Pineal Res. 2006 Sep;41(2):95-100.

>

> Melatonin is a safe and effective treatment for chronic pulmonary

> and extrapulmonary sarcoidosis.

>

> Pignone AM, Rosso AD, Fiori G, Matucci-Cerinic M, Becucci A,

> Tempestini A , Livi R, Generini S, Gramigna L, Benvenuti C,

> Carossino AM, Conforti ML, Perfetto F.

> Section of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine,

University

> of Florence, Florence, Italy.

>

> Chronic sarcoidosis (CS) is often unresponsive to usual treatments.

> Melatonin, an immunoregulatory drug, was employed in CS patients in

> whom usual treatments were ineffective or induced severe side

> effects. Melatonin was given for 2 yr (20 mg/day in the first year,

> 10 mg/day in the second year) to 18 CS patients. Pulmonary function

> tests, chest X rays, pulmonary computed tomography, Ga(67)

> scintigraphy and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) were assayed

at

> baseline and in the follow-up. Normalization of ACE, improvement of

> pulmonary parameters and resolution of skin involvement were found

> in the patients given melatonin. After 24 months of melatonin

> therapy, hylar adenopathy completely resolved in eight patients and

> parenchymal lesions were markedly improved in all patients; in the

> five patients with reduced diffusion capacity of the lung for

carbon

> monoxide, the values normalized after 6 months of therapy and

> remained stable until month 24. After 24 months, Ga(67) pulmonary

> and extra-pulmonary uptake was totally normalized in seven patients

> and, at month 12 months, ACE was normalized in six patients in

which

> the values were high at the baseline. Skin lesions, present in

three

> patients, completely disappeared at month 24 months. No side

effects

> were experienced and no disease relapse was observed during

> melatonin treatment. Melatonin may be an effective and safe therapy

> for CS when other treatments fail or cause side effects.

>

[Guest guest]

I only read the messages a few times a week. I am no longer allowed

to post but they don't ban me because then the word " ban " shows up

under my name. <grin>

I sent this question to Dr. Shoemaker just now. He has done a lot of

research on melanocyte stimulating hormone or MSH. My hunch is that

this is the relationship to lack of sunlight - that it may raise MSH

levels.

I will post here if I get a reply from him.

a

>

> Now this is a remarkable paper. It's entirely possible

> avaoiding sunlight helpes replentish some sort of melatonin

> deficiency.

>

> I had to read this abstract a few times becuase there were SO

> many positives.

>

> This is an Italian paper- what is the US Sarcoidosis community

> thinking of this

>

> a- are you still plugged into the TM group?

> What do they think of it.

>

> Mark:

> Do you have the Full Paper?

>

> Thanks,

> Barb

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> >

> > You think maybe an increase in melatonin, might be why the MP's

> > recommendation to avoid sunlight, helps people with sarcoidosis?

> >

> > J Pineal Res. 2006 Sep;41(2):95-100.

> >

> > Melatonin is a safe and effective treatment for chronic pulmonary

> > and extrapulmonary sarcoidosis.

> >

> > Pignone AM, Rosso AD, Fiori G, Matucci-Cerinic M, Becucci A,

> > Tempestini A , Livi R, Generini S, Gramigna L, Benvenuti C,

> > Carossino AM, Conforti ML, Perfetto F.

> > Section of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine,

> University

> > of Florence, Florence, Italy.

> >

> > Chronic sarcoidosis (CS) is often unresponsive to usual

treatments.

> > Melatonin, an immunoregulatory drug, was employed in CS patients

in

> > whom usual treatments were ineffective or induced severe side

> > effects. Melatonin was given for 2 yr (20 mg/day in the first

year,

> > 10 mg/day in the second year) to 18 CS patients. Pulmonary

function

> > tests, chest X rays, pulmonary computed tomography, Ga(67)

> > scintigraphy and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) were assayed

> at

> > baseline and in the follow-up. Normalization of ACE, improvement

of

> > pulmonary parameters and resolution of skin involvement were

found

> > in the patients given melatonin. After 24 months of melatonin

> > therapy, hylar adenopathy completely resolved in eight patients

and

> > parenchymal lesions were markedly improved in all patients; in

the

> > five patients with reduced diffusion capacity of the lung for

> carbon

> > monoxide, the values normalized after 6 months of therapy and

> > remained stable until month 24. After 24 months, Ga(67) pulmonary

> > and extra-pulmonary uptake was totally normalized in seven

patients

> > and, at month 12 months, ACE was normalized in six patients in

> which

> > the values were high at the baseline. Skin lesions, present in

> three

> > patients, completely disappeared at month 24 months. No side

> effects

> > were experienced and no disease relapse was observed during

> > melatonin treatment. Melatonin may be an effective and safe

therapy

> > for CS when other treatments fail or cause side effects.

> >

>