Can a sleep hormone protect diabetic kidneys?
NCT ID NCT07825961
First seen Sep 17, 2026 · Last updated Sep 18, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
Researchers at Tanta University are comparing melatonin with folic acid in adults who have type 2 diabetes and early kidney damage. All 75 participants receive standard diabetes care, with one group adding melatonin (3 mg daily) and another adding folic acid (400 µg daily). The study tracks changes in urine protein levels and kidney filtration rate to see whether either supplement slows kidney damage.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Melatonin, a hormone the body makes to regulate sleep, given as a daily supplement alongside standard diabetes care
- What this could lead to
- If melatonin helps, it could offer a low-cost daily pill to slow kidney damage in people with diabetes, on top of their usual treatment.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, single-center study of 75 people, so any benefit may be modest or may not hold up in larger trials. Melatonin can cause drowsiness and may interact with other medicines.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
75 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Apr 2025
- Finished
-
Jul 2026
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 to 75 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged 18-75 years. * Patients with a confirmed diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes and diabetic nephropathy, as indicated by an elevated urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR ≥ 30 mg/g) or a decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR \< 60 mL/min/1.73 m²). Exclusion Criteria: * Patients who are expectant or breastfeeding. * Have significant comorbidities. * Have rapidly declining renal function. * Have acute kidney injury.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Diabetic nephropathy are added.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Tanta University
Tanta, El-Gharbia, 31527, Egypt
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can stem cells repair kidneys damaged by diabetes?
- Cheap blood test could flag diabetic kidney damage before it strikes
- Can a pill replace the needle for anemia in diabetic kidney disease?
- Can a milk protein shield kidneys from diabetes damage?
- Fig leaf tea may shield kidneys from diabetes damage — a trial puts it to the test
- Ancient herbal formula put to the test against diabetic kidney disease