Melatonin for Sleep Disorder

Melatonin

Melatonin, or 5-methoxy-N-acetyltryptamine, is a hormone produced by

pinealocytes in the pineal gland, located in the brain, but also in the retina

and GI tract. It is a derivative of the amino acid tryptophan.

Melatonin produced in the pineal gland acts as an endocrine hormone since it is

released into the blood. On the other hand, melatonin produced by the retina and

the GI tract is considered a paracrine hormone.

Melatonin helps regulate sleep-wake or circadian rhythms. Normally, production

of melatonin by the pineal gland is stimulated by darkness and inhibited by

light. Melatonin can suppress libido by inhibiting secretion of luteinizing

hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) from the anterior pituitary

gland -- especially in mammals that have a breeding season when daylight hours

are long, such as sheep. Nobel Prize laureate Julius Axelrod performed many of

the seminal experiments elucidating the role of melatonin and the pineal gland

in circadian rhythms. Beta blockers decrease nocturnal melatonin release.

Melatonin is synthesized by various plants such as rice and ingested melatonin

was shown to be capable of reaching and binding to melatonin binding sites in

the brain of mammals. In recent times, melatonin has become available as a drug

and a dietary supplement. It appears to have some use against insomnia and jet

lag. Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant which can easily cross cell membranes.

It has been studied for the treatment of cancer, immune disorders,

cardiovascular diseases, depression, seasonal affective disorder, and sexual

dysfunction; no apparent benefit in these has been found.

To synthesize melatonin, serotonin is converted to N-acetylserotonin by the

enzyme 5-HT N-acetyltransferase. N-acetylserotonin is then converted to

melatonin by the enzyme 5-hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase. See serotonin for

details on how tryptophan is converted to serotonin.

Melatonin has been shown to increase the lifespan of mice by 20% in some studies

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