Melatonin (Melat) = C13H16N2O2
[Zainab Thanon Hasan/Dr. Mohammed Qasim Yahya Mal Allah AlAtrakji/Dr. Ahmed KayesMehuaiden]
Melatonin is a multifunctional molecule that has been shown to have
antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties. Melatonin has
been shown to be
involved in the regulation of sleep and blood pressure, as well as in
the improvement of viral respiratory disorders. As a result of these
properties, recent publications have
recommended melatonin for its potentially beneficial effects on clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. (Huang C. et al. 2020; A.T. Slominski et al. 2018).
Gebrauch: Schläfrig/benommen tagsüber/verlängerte Reaktionszeit/Hautrötung/Bauchkrampf/Sehstörung/Kopfschmerz/(„Wie Migräne“)/Durchfall/schneller
Einschlafen/längere REMzeit (=
mehr Träumen)/= Antiradikal (effektiv)/weniger Schmerz empfindlich/hemmt HGH;
A brain hormone that regulates the body’s sleep/wake cycles, (circadian
rhythm). It is available over-the-counter (in USA), and has become popular in
recent years as a dietary
supplement for promoting sleep. It has been suggested that changes in
melatonin secretion may cause sleep disorders in people with certain nervous
conditions.
The disadvantage though, is that available preparations of melatonin are
unregulated, therefore there is no assurance of its purity and content.
The effects of long-term exposure to exogenous melatonin is unknown
(Beers and Berkow, 1999: 1413).
Adjuvant use of Melatonin may help reduce thrombosis, sepsis, and
mortality in COVID-19 patients.
[Joy Lucas]
Melatonin, known as the hormone of darkness, is
secreted by the pineal gland. People with high levels of melatonin react
strongly to bright light and an excess of natural light
makes the gland smaller and so lessens
spiritual awareness. High levels of melatonin also enhances the immune system
as an anti-oxidant so there will be a resistance to some
diseased states (cancer). It also heightens
energy, physical tolerance and regulates sleep patterns.
Förderung durch: Fasten
Kohlenhydratereiche Mahlzeit um 19 h. und danach nichts mehr essen.
Bewegung
Aufenthalt in HELLEM Licht (True-Light-Vollspektrum Lampe/1000 Lux)
Warmes Baden
Kombination 100 gr Nicotinamed + 100 gr Ca + 50 gr Magnesium + Vit B-komplex + Vit C
Schlaf bei abgeschaltetes Tel./TV./regelmäßige Schlafrhythmus/-vorbereitung
Hemmung durch: Elektrosmog (Handystrahlung hat ähnliche Frequenz wie menschliche Körper)/elektrische Heizdecken
Alpha-/Betablocker
Nicht steroidale Antirheumatika
Librium/Valium/Antidepressiva
Geistige Tätigkeit
Essen in der Zeitspanne 2h. vor dem Einschlafen
Sonnebrille
Rauchen/Coff./Alkohol
Schichtarbeit
Fliegen über Zeitzonen hinweg
Anstrengende Bewegung kurz vor dem Einschlafen
Mangel: fördert Hyperaktivität
Vergleich: Enthält: Sulph + Calc-Salzen + N; Cupr. (fördert Melan).
Siehe: Farbstoffen + Anti-aging + Neurotransmitter + Anhang (Melanie Grimes) + Melanin vs Melatonin
Melatoningruppe
Melan.
Pitu-a. stellt
Melan her
Antidotiert: Kortisol
Melatonin has been reported in foodstuffs including cherries to about
0.17–13.46 ng/g, bananas and grapes, rice and cereals, herbs, olive oil, wine
and beer.
When birds ingest melatonin-rich plant feed (rice), the melatonin binds to
melatonin receptors in their brains. When humans consume foods rich in
melatonin (banana, pineapple and orange) the blood levels of melatonin
significantly increase.
Animals
Many animals use the variation in duration of melatonin production each
day as a seasonal clock. In animals including humans the profile of melatonin
synthesis and secretion is affected by the variable duration of night in summer
as compared to winter. The change in duration of secretion thus serves as a
biological signal for the organisation of daylength-dependent (photoperiodic)
seasonal functions such as reproduction, behaviour, coat growth and camouflage
colouring in seasonal animals. In seasonal breeders that do not have long
gestation periods and that mate during longer daylight hours, the melatonin
signal controls the seasonal variation in their sexual physiology, and similar
physiological effects can be induced by exogenous melatonin in animals
including mynah birds and hamsters.
In mammals, melatonin is biosynthesized in four enzymatic steps from the
essential dietary amino acid tryptophan, with serotonin produced at the third
step. Melatonin is secreted into the blood by the pineal gland in the brain.
Known as the "hormone of darkness," it is secreted in darkness
in both day-active (diurnal) and night-active (nocturnal) animals. It may also
be produced by a variety of peripheral cells such as bone marrow cells,
lymphocytes, and epithelial cells. Usually, the melatonin concentration in
these cells is much higher than that found in the blood,
but it does not seem to be regulated by the photoperiod.
Mammals
Melatonin, produced in the pineal gland which is outside of the
blood–brain barrier, acts as an endocrine hormone as it is released into the
blood.
Melatonin can suppress libido by inhibiting secretion of luteinizing
hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) from the anterior pituitary
gland (in mammals that have a breeding season when daylight hours are long).
The reproduction of long-day breeders is repressed by melatonin and the
reproduction of short-day breeders is stimulated by melatonin. During the
night, melatonin regulates leptin, lowering its levels.
Light/dark information reaches the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) from
retinal photosensitive ganglion cells, which are intrinsically photosensitive
photoreceptor cells that are distinct from those involved in the primary (at
least, from one point of view) image formation function of the eye (that is the
rods and cones of the retina). These cells represent approximately 2% of all
retinal ganglion cells in humans and express the photopigment melanopsin.
Melanopsin, often confused with melatonin because of its similar name,
is structurally unrelated to the hormone. It is a conventional 7-transmembrane
opsin protein with
the usual vitamin A-like cis-retinal cofactor having a peak absorption
at 484 nm, in the blue light part of the visible spectrum. The photoperiod cue
created by blue light
(from a blue image of the sky) entrains a circadian rhythm, and thus
governs resultant production of specific "dark"- and
"light"-induced neural and endocrine signals that regulate behavioral
and physiological circadian rhythms associated with melatonin. Melatonin is
secreted in darkness in both day-active (diurnal) and night-active (nocturnal)
animals.
Humans
Circadian rhythm
In humans, melatonin is produced by the pineal gland, a small endocrine
gland located in the center of the brain but outside the blood–brain barrier.
The melatonin signal forms part of the system that regulates the sleep-wake
cycle by chemically causing drowsiness and lowering the body temperature, but
it is the central nervous system (specifically the suprachiasmatic nuclei, or
SCN) that controls the daily cycle in most components of the paracrine and
endocrine systems rather than the melatonin signal (as was once postulated).
Infants' melatonin levels become regular in about the third month after
birth, with the highest levels measured between midnight and 8 h.
In humans, 90% of melatonin is cleared in a single passage through the
liver, a small amount is excreted in urine, and a small amount is found in
saliva.
Human melatonin production decreases as a person ages. Also, as children
become teenagers, the nightly schedule of melatonin release is delayed, leading
to later sleeping
and waking times.
Light dependence
Production of melatonin by the pineal gland is inhibited by light to the
retina and permitted by darkness. Its onset each evening is called the
dim-light melatonin onset (DLMO).
It is principally blue light, around 460 to 480 nm, that suppresses
melatonin, proportional to the light intensity and length of exposure. Until
recent history, humans in temperate climates were exposed to few hours of
(blue) daylight in the winter; their fires gave predominantly yellow light. The
incandescent light bulb widely used in the 20th century produced
relatively little blue light. Wearing glasses that block blue light in the
hours before bedtime may decrease melatonin loss. Kayumov et al. showed that
light containing only wavelengths greater than 530 nm does not suppress
melatonin in bright-light conditions. Use of blue-blocking
goggles the last hours before bedtime as also been advised for people
who need to adjust to an earlier bedtime, as melatonin promotes sleepiness.
When used several hours before sleep according to the phase response
curve for melatonin in humans, small amounts (0.3 mg) of melatonin shift the
circadian clock earlier,
thus promoting earlier sleep onset and morning awakening.
Antioxidant
Besides its function as synchronizer of the biological clock, melatonin
is a powerful free-radical scavenger and wide-spectrum antioxidant as
discovered in 1993. In many less complex life forms, this is its only known
function. Melatonin is an antioxidant that can easily cross cell membranes and
the blood-brain barrier. This antioxidant is a direct scavenger of radical
oxygen and nitrogen species including OH, O2−, and NO. Melatonin works
with other antioxidants to improve the overall effectiveness of each antioxidant.
Melatonin has been proven to be twice as active as vitamin E, believed to be
the most effective lipophilic antioxidant. An important characteristic of
melatonin that distinguishes it from other classic radical scavengers is that
its metabolites are also scavengers in what is referred to as the cascade
reaction. Also different from other classic antioxidants, such as vitamin C and
vitamin E, melatonin has amphiphilic properties. When compared to synthetic,
mitochodrial-targeted antioxidants (MitoQ and MitoE), melatonin proved to be a
better protector against mitochondrial oxidative stress.
Immune system
While it is known that melatonin interacts with the immune system, the
details of those interactions are unclear. There have been few trials designed
to judge the effectiveness of melatonin in disease treatment. Most existing
data are based on small, incomplete clinical trials. Any positive immunological
effect is thought to be the result of melatonin acting on high-affinity
receptors (MT1 and MT2) expressed in immunocompetent cells.
In preclinical studies, melatonin may enhance cytokine production, and
by doing this counteract acquired immunodeficiences. Some studies also suggest
that melatonin might be useful fighting infectious disease incl. viral, such as
HIV, and bacterial infections, and potentially in the treatment of cancer.
Endogenous melatonin in human lymphocytes has been related to
interleukin-2 (IL-2) production and to the expression of IL-2 receptor. Suggesting
melatonin is involved in the clonal expansion of antigen-stimulated human
T-Lymphocytes. In rheumatoid arthritis patients, melatonin production has been
found increased when compared to age-matched healthy controls.
Although it has not been clearly demonstrated whether melatonin
increases non-specific immunity with resulting contraindication in autoimmune
diseases, an increase in the production of IL-2 and IL-1 was noted in cultured
splenocytes.
Dreaming
Some supplemental melatonin users report an increase in vivid dreaming.
Extremely high doses of melatonin (50 mg) dramatically increased REM sleep time
and dream
activity in people both with and without narcolepsy.
It has been suggested that nonpolar (lipid-soluble) indolic
hallucinogenic drugs emulate melatonin activity in the awakened state and that
both act on the same areas of
the brain.
Some individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may have lower
than normal levels of melatonin. A 2008 study found that unaffected parents of
individuals with ASD also have lower melatonin levels, and that the deficits
were associated with low activity of the ASMT gene, which encodes the last
enzyme of melatonin synthesis.
Multiple small studies have demonstrated that 2 to 10 mg of melatonin
may benefit children with ASD who have trouble falling asleep and/or
maintaining sleep.
A small 2011 randomized crossover trial found that the administration of
melatonin, when compared to placebo, decreased sleep latency and increased
total sleep time,
but had no effect on the number of night time awakenings.
At this time, no official guidelines exist for the use of melatonin in
children with ASD.
Aging
Research has supported the anti-aging properties of melatonin. Younger
children hit their peak melatonin production at night, and some researchers
believe that the level
of melatonin peaks earlier as people get older. This may explain why
older adults go to bed earlier, wake up earlier, and have more sleep problems
than children do.
Some studies have shown that melatonin plays a crucial part in the aging
process and that it may act as an anti-aging agent when administered to older
mice. It has been reported in one study that administration of melatonin in
elderly mice may reverse this change in expression of some 13 genes, thus
making them similar to those of younger mice. Consuming melatonin may
neutralize oxidative damage and delay the neurodegenerative process of aging.
When small amounts of melatonin were administered to
lab mice, it reduced the oxidative damage caused by aging and delayed
the inflammatory process, which in turn increased the longevity of the mice.
Single-nucleotide polymorphisms of the human melatonin MT2 receptor have
been linked to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Furthermore
women with low levels of melatonin secretion have been found to more likely to
develop type 2 diabetes than women with high levels.
While the packaging of melatonin often warns against use in children, at
least one long-term study does assess effectiveness and safety in children. No
serious safety concerns were noted in any of the 94 cases studied by means of a
structured questionnaire for the parents. With a mean follow-up time of 3.7
years, long-term medication was effective against sleep onset problems in 88% of
the cases. Other studies warn against potential side effects
Medical uses
A bottle of melatonin tablets
Melatonin has been studied as a potential treatment of gastroesophageal
reflux disease, cancer, immune disorders, cardiovascular diseases, depression,
seasonal affective disorder (SAD), circadian rhythm sleep disorders, sexual
dysfunction and insomnia in the elderly. Prolonged release melatonin has shown
good results in treating insomnia in older adults (2007). It may improve
circadian misalignment and SAD. Basic research indicates that melatonin may
play a role in modulating the effects of drugs of abuse such as cocaine.
Melatonin is also a geroprotector.
A 2004 review found that melatonin significantly increased total sleep
time in people suffering from sleep restriction. For many types of sleep
disorders, melatonin is not effective. A 2006 review found that although it is
safe for short term use (of three months or less), there is "no evidence
that melatonin is effective in treating secondary
sleep disorders or sleep disorders accompanying sleep restriction, such
as jet lag and shiftwork disorder."
In a 2005 study, researchers concluded that while "there is some
evidence to suggest that melatonin is effective in treating delayed sleep phase
disorder (DSPD), there is evidence to suggest that melatonin is not effective
in treating most primary sleep disorders with short-term use (4 weeks or
less)."
Circadian rhythm disorders
Further information: Circadian rhythm
Exogenous melatonin taken in the evening is, together with light therapy
upon awakening, the standard treatment for delayed sleep phase disorder (DSPD)
and non-24-hour sleep–wake disorder where circadian rhythms are not entrained
to the environmental cycle. It appears to have some use against other circadian
rhythm sleep disorders as well, such as jet lag and the problems of people who
work rotating or night shifts. Melatonin reduces sleep onset latency to a
greater extent in people with DSPD than in people with insomnia.
A very small dose taken several hours before bedtime in accordance with
the phase response curve for melatonin in humans (PRC) doesn't cause sleepiness
but, acting as a chronobiotic (affecting aspects of biological time structure),
advances the phase slightly and is additive to the effect of using light
therapy upon awakening. Light therapy may advance the phase about one to
two-and-a-half hours and an oral dose of 0.3 or 3 mg of melatonin, timed
correctly some hours before bedtime, can add about 30 minutes to the ~2 hour
advance achieved with light therapy. There was no difference in the average
magnitude of phase shift induced by the 2 doses. Learning, memory and Alzheimer's
Melatonin receptors appear to be important in mechanisms of learning and memory
in mice, and melatonin can alter electrophysiological processes associated with
memory, such as long-term potentiation (LTP). The first published evidence that
melatonin may be useful in Alzheimer's disease was the demonstration that this
neurohormone prevents neuronal death caused by exposure to the amyloid beta
protein, a neurotoxic substance that accumulates in the brains
of patients with the disorder. Melatonin also inhibits the aggregation
of the amyloid beta protein into neurotoxic microaggregates that, it seems, underlie
the neurotoxicity of this protein, causing death of neurons and formation of
neurofibrillary tangles, the other neuropathological landmark of Alzheimer's
disease.
Melatonin has been shown to prevent the hyperphosphorylation of the tau
protein in rats. Hyperphosphorylation of tau protein can also result in the
formation of neurofibrillary tangles. Studies in rats suggest that melatonin
may be effective for treating Alzheimer's disease. These same neurofibrillary
tangles can be found in the hypothalamus in patients with Alzheimer's,
adversely affecting their bodies' production of melatonin. Another study has
implicated heightened afternoon agitation found in many Alzheimer's patients,
called sundowning, with a phase delay in core body temperature. This may
suggest a possible connection to melatonin production.
Delirium
A randomized placebo-controlled trial showed that low-dose melatonin
supplementation to 72 elderly patients admitted to acute medicine services
significantly reduced delirium.
Stimulants
Research shows that after melatonin is administered to ADHD patients on methylphenidate,
the time needed to fall asleep is significantly reduced. Furthermore, the
effects of the melatonin after three months showed no change from its effects
after one week of use.
Headaches
Several clinical studies indicate that supplementation with melatonin is
an effective preventive treatment for migraines and cluster headaches.
Mood disorders
Melatonin has been shown to be effective in treating seasonal affective
disorder, a form of depression, and is being considered for bipolar
and other disorders in which circadian disturbances are involved. It was
observed in 1985 that bipolar disorder might have elevated sensitivity to
light, i.e., a greater decrease in melatonin secretion
in response to light exposure at night, as a "trait marker" (a
characteristic of being bipolar, which does not change with state). This could
be contrasted with drug-free recovered bipolar patients showing normal light
sensitivity.
A systematic review of unblinded clinical trials involving a total of
643 cancer patients using melatonin found a reduced incidence of death but that
blinded and independently conducted randomized controlled trials are needed.
The National Cancer Institute's review of the evidence found that it
remains inconclusive.
Melatonin presence in the gallbladder has many protective properties,
such as converting cholesterol to bile, preventing oxidative stress, and
increasing the mobility of gallstones from the gallbladder. It also decreases
the amount of cholesterol produced in the gallbladder by regulating the
cholesterol that passes through the intestinal wall.
In guinea pigs, melatonin administration restored normal function by
reducing inflammation after induced cholecystitis, whether administered before
or after onset of inflammation. Concentration of melatonin in the bile is 2–3
times higher than the otherwise very low daytime melatonin levels in the blood
across many diurnal mammals (humans).
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
In animal models, melatonin has been shown to ameliorate
glutamate-induced neuronal death, it is presumed due to its antioxidant
effects. In a clinical safety study involving 31 ALS patients, high-dose rectal
melatonin (300 mg/day for 2 years) was shown to be tolerated well.
Obesity
Melatonin is involved in energy metabolism and body weight control in
small animals. Many studies show that chronic melatonin supplementation in
drinking water reduces body weight and abdominal fat in experimental animals,
(middle-aged rats) and the weight loss effect did not require the animals to
eat less and to be physically more active. A potential mechanism is that
melatonin promotes the recruitment of brown adipose tissue (BAT) as well as
enhances its activity. This effect would raise the basal metabolic rate by
stimulating thermogenesis, heat generation through uncoupling oxidative
phosphorylation in mitochondria. Whether the results of animal studies can be
extrapolated to human obesity is a matter of future clinical trials, since
substantially active BAT has been identified in adult humans.
Protection from radiation
Both animal and human studies have shown melatonin to be potentially
radioprotective. Moreover, it is a more efficient protector than amifostine, a
commonly used agent for this purpose.
The mechanism of melatonin in protection against ionizing radiation is
thought to involve scavenging of free radicals. It is estimated that nearly 70%
of biological damage caused by ionizing radiation is attributable to the free
radical (hydroxyl radical that attacks DNA, proteins, and cellular membranes).
Melatonin has been suggested as a radioprotective agent, with the proposed
advantages of being broadly protective, readily available, orally
self-administered, and without major known side effects.
Tinnitus
Several medical studies involving adult patients indicate that melatonin
can be beneficial in the treatment of tinnitus.
Other
Melatonin was used to treat periodic limb movement disorder, a common
neurological condition, which, when severe, adversely affects sleep and causes
excessive daytime fatigue, in a small trial conducted by Kunz D and Bes F.
In this condition, the sufferer is affected by mini arousals during
sleep and limb movements that occur in a frequent rhythmic fashion. This often
involves leg kicking, but sometimes also involves arm movement. Those affected
are often not aware of the condition, and partners are often the first to
notice the condition. 7 out of the 9 participants in the trial showed
significant improvement.
In recent trial for use in irritable bowel syndrome treatment, melatonin
relieved some symptoms, as published in 2010.
A research team in Italy has found that melatonin supplementation in the
evening in perimenopausal women produces an improvement in thyroid function and
gonadotropin levels, as well as restoring fertility and menstruation and
preventing the depression associated with the menopause. One study reported
that melatonin taken in the evening raised prolactin levels in six out of seven
women.
Adverse effects
Melatonin appears to cause very few side-effects in the short term, up
to three months, when healthy people take it at low doses. A systematic review
in 2006 looked specifically at efficacy and safety in two categories of
melatonin usage: first, for sleep disturbances that are secondary to other
diagnoses and, second, for sleep disorders such as jet lag and shift work that
accompany sleep restriction.
The study concluded that "There is no evidence that melatonin is
effective in treating secondary sleep disorders or sleep disorders accompanying
sleep restriction, such as jet lag and shiftwork disorder. There is evidence
that melatonin is safe with short term use".
A similar analysis by the same team a year earlier on the efficacy and
safety of exogenous melatonin in the management of primary sleep disorders
found that: "There is evidence to suggest that melatonin is safe with
short-term use (3 months or less)."
Unwanted effects in some people may include nausea, next-day grogginess,
irritability, reduced blood flow and hypothermia.
While no large, long-term studies that might reveal side-effects have
been conducted, there do exist case reports about patients having taken
melatonin for months.
Melatonin can cause somnolence (drowsiness), and, therefore, caution
should be shown when driving, operating machinery, etc.
In individuals with auto-immune disorders, there is conflicting evidence
whether melatonin supplementation may either ameliorate or exacerbate symptoms
due to immunomodulation.
Individuals experiencing orthostatic intolerance, a cardiovascular
condition that results in reduced blood pressure and blood flow to the brain
when a person stands, may experience < of symptoms when taking melatonin
supplements, a study at Penn State College of Medicine's Milton S. Hershey
Medical Center suggests. Melatonin can exacerbate symptoms by reducing nerve
activity in those experiencing the condition, the study found.
Melatonin has been found to lower FSH levels. Effects of the hormone on
human reproduction remain unclear, although it was with some effect tried as a
contraceptive in the 1990s.
Melatonin was thought to have a very low maternal toxicity in rats.
Recent studies have found results which suggested that it is toxic to
photoreceptor cells in rats' retinas when used in combination with large
amounts of sunlight and increases the incidence of tumours in white mice.
In animal models, interventions that increase the bioavailability of
melatonin, seem to increase the severity of parkinsonian symptoms, whereas
reduction in melatonin by pinealectomy or exposure to bright light can improve
recovery from parkinsonisms symptoms. Melatonin may exacerbate
neurodegeneration in advanced Parkinson's disease.
Availability
Helsinki university pharmaceutical laboratory prepared melatonin
available upon prescription.
Legal availability of melatonin varies in different countries, ranging
from being available without prescription (most of North America and Finland)
to being available only on prescription (e.g. in the UK) or not at all
(although its possession and use may not be illegal). It is widely available on
the Internet.
The hormone may be administered orally, as capsules, tablets or liquid,
sublingually, or as transdermal patches.
The use of melatonin derived from animal pineal tissue may carry the
risk of contamination or the means of transmitting viral material. The
synthetic form of this medication does not carry this risk.
Dietary supplement
In the USA, because it is sold as a dietary supplement, sometimes
combined with other ingredients, such as vitamins and herbal extracts, and not
as a drug, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations that apply to
medications are not applicable to melatonin. However, new FDA rules required
that by June 2010 all production of dietary supplements must comply with
"current good manufacturing practices" (cGMP), and be manufactured
with "controls that result in a consistent product free of contamination,
with accurate labeling." In addition, the industry has been required to
report to the FDA "all serious dietary supplement related adverse
events" and the FDA has, within the cGMP guidelines, begun enforcement of
that requirement.
Food products
As reported in the New York Times in May 2011, melatonin is sold in
grocery stores, convenience stores, and clubs in both beverage and snack forms.
The FDA is considering whether these food products can continue to be sold
with the label "dietary supplements". On January 13, 2010,
they issued a warning letter to Innovative Beverage, creators of several
beverages marketed as "relaxation drinks," stating that melatonin is
not approved as a food additive because it is not generally recognized as safe.
Prolonged release
Circadin 2mg, prolonged-release melatonin
Melatonin is available as a prolonged-release prescription drug,
trade-name Circadin, manufactured by Neurim Pharmaceuticals. The European
Medicines Agency (EMA) has approved Circadin 2 mg (prolonged-release melatonin)
for patients aged 55 or over, as monotherapy for the short-term treatment (up
to 13 weeks) of primary insomnia characterized by poor quality of sleep.
History
Melatonin was first discovered in connection to the mechanism by which
some amphibians and reptiles change the color of their skin. As early as 1917,
Carey Pratt McCord and Floyd P. Allen discovered that feeding extract of the
pineal glands of cows lightened tadpole skin by contracting the dark epidermal
melanophores. In 1958 dermatology professor Aaron B. Lerner and colleagues at
Yale University, in the hope that a substance from the pineal might be useful
in treating skin diseases, isolated the hormone from bovine pineal gland
extracts and named it melatonin. In the mid-70s Lynch et al. demonstrated that
the production of melatonin exhibits a circadian rhythm in human pineal glands.
The discovery that melatonin is an antioxidant was made in 1993. The first
patent for its use as a low dose sleep aid was granted to Richard Wurtman at
MIT in 1995. Around the same time, the hormone got a lot of press as a possible
treatment for many illnesses. The New England Journal of Medicine editorialized
in 2000: "The hype and the claims of the so-called miraculous powers of
melatonin several years ago did a great disservice to a scientific field of
real importance to human health. With these recent careful and precise
observations in blind persons, the true potential of melatonin is becoming
evident, and the importance of the timing of treatment is becoming clear.
Our 24-hour society, with its chaotic time cues and lack of natural
light, may yet reap substantial benefits."
Wirkung: sterilisierend/Krebs hemmend
Allerlei: Venus hat Beiname: Melaina
In einer kleinen Hirnregion hinter
dem Auge ausgeschüttet, ist ein Taktgeber. Bei Dunkelheit macht es müde. Wenn
in den Morgenstunden die Sonne durch die Augenlider scheint, sinkt die
Melatoninausscheidung, und man wird schneller wach. Ob Melatoninpillen gegen Jetlag helfen, ist
umstritten.Effective as an anaesthetic premedication due to its hypnotic,
anxiolytic, sedative, antinociceptive, and anticonvulsant properties.
Verringerung/Erhöhung des Melatoninspiegels im Blut bewirkt Schlafstörungen (Schlaf-Wach-Rhythmus).
Vorwort/Suchen Zeichen/Abkürzungen Impressum