Melatonin

Melatonin regulates biological rhythms and neuroendocrine functions.

In the United States, the hormone melatonin is sold, without regulation by the FDA, as a dietary supplement. In most of the rest of the world, it is not sold at all, because it is regulated as a drug and no pharmaceutical company has presented an appropriate regulatory body with a successful new drug application for its use. Some countries allow very low doses-less than 100 mg-to be sold without regulatory approval.

Derivatives and analogs of melatonin are being used in the development of preventive therapies of Alzheimer's disease.

Melatonin drugs and supplements have use in treating insomnia, sleep disorders and jet lag, treatment for reducing pain of "cluster headaches, some evidence that melatonin might improve the effectiveness of cancer drugs used to fight tumors in the breast, lung, kidney, liver, pancreas, stomach and colon.

Use classes: Cosmetics, Animal Drugs.

Therapeutic Melatonin is a therapeutic chemically synthesized form of the pineal indole melatonin with antioxidant properties. The pineal synthesis and secretion of melatonin, a serotonin-derived neurohormone, is dependent on beta-adrenergic receptor function. Melatonin is involved in numerous biological functions including circadian rhythm, sleep, the stress response, aging, and immunity.

Formed from serotonin (5-HT).

Melatonin is synthesized endogenously by the pinealocytes of the pineal gland. The essential amino acid L-tryptophan is a precursor in the synthesis of melatonin. In this synthesis, L-tryptophan first gets metabolized to 5-hydroxytryptophan from which 5-hydroxytryptamine, also known as serotonin, is made. 5-hydroxytryptamine is converted to melatonin in a two-step process, occurring mainly in the pineal gland.