Affiliation:
1. Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, India
Abstract
Entrainment of 24 hrs light/dark cycle is nowadays getting altered in corporate sector and even at home due to over exposure to artificial light at night (ALAN) and is commonly denoted as chronodisruption. Chronodisruption interferes with the daily physiology that is regulated by SCN/pineal-melatonin/Hypothalamo-Pituitary axis. In females, reduction in sleep due to shift work desynchronizes HPG-HPA axis induces a stress like condition, accompanied by increased free radical generation in ovary leading to polycystic ovaries, depletion of ovarian reserve, luteal phase defects, endometriosis, implantation failure, etc. Evidence suggest that there is remedial rescue by management of circulatory melatonin due to its chronobiotic/antioxidant/anti-inflamatory/antiapoptotic potentials and its role in ovarian folliculogenesis and steroidogenesis. Advancement in melatonin research suggests that it could be beneficial for commercial use, that is, (1) as an endogenous synchronizer, (2) to improve the quality of oocyte, and (3) for promoting success in the frequency of IVF.