Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Apr 29:20:513-522.
doi: 10.2147/CIA.S513910. eCollection 2025.

Efficacy of a Neuroimmune Therapy Including Pineal Methoxyindoles, Angiotensin 1-7, and Endocannabinoids in Cancer, Autoimmune, and Neurodegenerative Diseases

Affiliations

Efficacy of a Neuroimmune Therapy Including Pineal Methoxyindoles, Angiotensin 1-7, and Endocannabinoids in Cancer, Autoimmune, and Neurodegenerative Diseases

Paolo Lissoni et al. Clin Interv Aging. .

Abstract

Purpose: Recent advancements in psycho-neuro-endocrine-immunology indicate that numerous noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) originate from disruptions in the cytokine immune network, resulting in chronic inflammatory responses. This persistent low-degree inflammation is attributed to deficiencies in crucial endogenous anti-inflammatory neuroendocrine systems, including the pineal gland, the endocannabinoid system, and the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 / angiotensin 1-7 axis. The administration of pineal methoxyindoles (melatonin, 5-methoxytryptamine), cannabinoids, and angiotensin 1-7 may entail potential therapeutic benefits for NCDs, particularly for patients who do not respond to conventional treatments.

Patients and methods: This study evaluates the safety and efficacy of a neuroimmune regimen comprising melatonin (100 mg/day at night), 5-methoxytryptamine (30 mg in the early afternoon), angiotensin 1-7 (0.5 mg twice daily), and cannabidiol (20 mg twice daily) in 306 patients with NCDs, including advanced cancer, autoimmune diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, depression, and cardiovascular disease.

Results: The neuroimmune regimen successfully halted cancer progression in 68% of cancer patients, who also reported improvements in mood, sleep, and relief from anxiety, pain, and fatigue. In patients with autoimmune diseases, the treatment effectively controlled the disease process, remarkable in cases of multiple sclerosis. Additionally, positive outcomes were observed in patients with Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and depression.

Conclusion: Randomized controlled trials are required to assess this therapeutic approach for NCDs that includes endogenous neuroendocrine molecules regulating immune responses in an anti-inflammatory manner.

Keywords: 5-methoxytryptamine; melatonin; metainflammation; noncommunicable diseases; oxytocin; pinoline.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Percent of 1-year survival observed in 188 advanced cancer patients who received the neuroimmune regimen including pineal methoxyindoles, angiotensin 1–7, and endocannabinoids, as compared to a historical control group of 200 age-, sex-, and histotype-matched untreatable cancer patients, who were treated with only palliative therapy. Differences between groups are significant (P< 0.005), Kaplan-Meier method and Log rank test.

References

    1. Fulop T, Larbi A, Pawelec G, et al. Immunology of aging: the birth of inflammaging. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol. 2021;64:109–122. doi:10.1007/S12016-021-08899-6 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Xia S, Zhang X, Zheng S, et al. An update on inflamm-aging: mechanisms, prevention, and treatment. J Immunol Res. 2016;2016:1–12. doi:10.1155/2016/8426874 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Munn LL. Cancer and inflammation. Wiley Interdiscip Rev Syst Biol Med. 2017;9(2). doi:10.1002/WSBM.1370 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Lissoni P. Therapy implications of the role of interleukin-2 in cancer. Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2017;13(5):491–498. doi:10.1080/1744666X.2017.1245146 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Zhang Y, Xie Y, Zhang C, et al. The systemic immune inflammation index as a novel predictive biomarker for contrast-induced acute kidney injury risk following percutaneous coronary intervention: a meta-analysis of cohort studies. Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2024;23. doi:10.2174/0115701611328810241028112700 - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources