Could melatonin help save newborn brains after oxygen deprivation?

NCT ID NCT07652801

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tests whether adding melatonin to standard magnesium sulfate treatment improves recovery in full-term newborns with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), a brain injury caused by oxygen deprivation at birth. Eighty babies will be split into two groups: one gets magnesium sulfate alone, the other gets magnesium sulfate plus five doses of melatonin. Researchers will measure changes in blood acidity and a marker of cell damage, as well as how long babies stay in the hospital and how soon they can start feeding.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

melatonin and magnesium sulfate

What this could lead to

If it works, this combination could reduce brain damage and shorten hospital stays for newborns with oxygen deprivation at birth.

What could go wrong

This is a small, early-phase trial with only 80 babies, so results may not apply widely. Melatonin's safety in newborns is still being studied.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

perinatal asphyxia

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Study contacts

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  • Contact

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