Melatonin
About Melatonin
Melatonin, chemically N acetyl 5 methoxytryptamine, is a hormone made mainly by the pineal gland from the amino acid tryptophan via serotonin. It was first isolated in 1958 by the dermatologist Aaron Lerner, who named it for its ability to lighten the pigment cells of frog skin. Its secretion follows a circadian rhythm controlled by the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus: light reaching the retina suppresses production and levels rise in darkness, signaling night to the body and timing the sleep wake cycle. Melatonin also occurs in small amounts in foods such as tart cherries, walnuts and tomatoes. As a medicine or supplement it has been studied mainly for circadian rhythm disorders such as jet lag and delayed sleep phase, and for insomnia, where effects on sleep onset are generally modest and smaller than those of prescription hypnotics. It does not appear to cause dependence and is generally well tolerated. Its regulatory status varies: in the United States it is sold as a dietary supplement, while in the United Kingdom and much of Europe it requires a prescription.
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