Melatonin (5-methoxy N-acetyltryptamine) is a hormone synthesized and released from the pineal gland at night, which acts on specific high affinity G-protein coupled receptors to regulate various aspects of physiology and behaviour, including circadian and seasonal responses, and some retinal, cardiovascular and immunological functions. Melatonin is also made synthetically and available without a prescription as an over-the-counter (OTC) dietary supplement in the U.S. Melatonin supplementation has many uses, however, it has been widely studied for treatment of jet lag and sleep disorders. Parents may consider using melatonin to help their child who has a trouble falling asleep. A medical professional should always evaluate insomnia or other sleeping disorders in children. Additionally, melatonin has been shown to protect against oxidative stress in various, highly divergent experimental systems. There are many reasons for its remarkable protective potential. In mammals, melatonin binds to a number of receptor subtypes including high-affinity (MT1 and MT2) and low-affinity (MT3, nuclear orphan receptors) binding sites, which are distributed throughout the central nervous system and periphery.

Dichloroacetic acid, often abbreviated DCA (dichloroacetate), is an acid analog of acetic acid in which two of the three hydrogen atoms of the methyl group have been replaced by chlorine atoms. The salts and esters of dichloroacetic acid are called dichloroacetates. Salts of DCA are used as drugs since they inhibit the enzyme pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase. Early reports of its activity against brain cancer cells led patients to treat themselves with DCA, which is commercially available in non-pharmaceutical grade. A phase 1 study in 5 patients concluded that DCA was safe, but wasn't designed to establish effectiveness. DCA was approved for use in Canada in 1989 (as a topical formulation for the treatment of warts and for cauterization and removal of a wide variety of skin and tissue lesions), but was cancelled post market. DCA is a noncompetitive inhibitor of the endoplasmic reticulum enzyme HMG CoA reductase, which catalyzes the rate limiting step in cholesterol biosynthesis. DCA has been researched in adults, children, animals, and cells as a monotherapy as well as in combination with other therapies for the treatment of severe metabolic disorders including diabetes and hypercholesterolemia, lactic acidosis, certain heart conditions, and cancer. DCA has been prescribed to reduce tumour size and tumour markers, prevent angiogenesis, reduce cancer related symptoms, manage pain, and aid in palliation.