[Melatonin as a drug: present status and perspectives].

Melatonin, a hormone secreted by the pineal gland and peripheral cells, has very wide spectrum of the pharmacological activity and, as shown by experimental data, may provide universal protection of central nervous system and internal organs from damage. These protective properties of melatonin can be successfully used in therapy of many diseases. However, for some reasons, the use of melatonin in clinical practice is not well founded. In this paper, conditions for establishing therapeutic possibilities of melatonin are discussed, including its complex use with traditional drugs.