[Circadian rhythm and inflammatory bowel disease].

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), is a chronic and recurrent inflammatory disorder of the intestinal tract. It has been demonstrated that sleep disturbances are involved in the pathogenesis of the patients with IBD. In addition, it has been shown that melatonin, which is a hormone produced by the pineal gland and maintains circadian rhythm, plays an important role as regulators of inflammation as well as a player in proper immune system and antioxidant system in the intestinal disorders. In this review, we present what is currently known regarding sleep disturbances and the role of melatonin in intestinal inflammation.