11 Facts About Melatonin

Melatonin is a natural product found in plants and animals.

Melatonin was first reported as a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger in 1993.

Melatonin has been proven to be twice as active as vitamin E, believed to be the most effective lipophilic antioxidant.

Melatonin occurs at high concentrations within mitochondrial fluid which greatly exceed the plasma concentration of melatonin.

Melatonin metabolites produced via the reaction of melatonin with reactive oxygen species or reactive nitrogen species react with and reduce free radicals.

Melatonin metabolites generated from redox reactions include cyclic 3-hydroxymelatonin, N1-acetyl-N2-formyl-5-methoxykynuramine, and N1-acetyl-5-methoxykynuramine .

Melatonin is used as a medication in the treatment of sleep disorders such as insomnia and circadian rhythm sleep disorders like delayed sleep phase disorder, jet lag disorder, and shift work disorder.

Melatonin is sold as a dietary supplement in countries where it is not a scheduled drug.

Melatonin was first discovered in connection to the mechanism by which some amphibians and reptiles change the color of their skin.

Melatonin concentrations differ not only among plant species, but between varieties of the same species depending on the agronomic growing conditions, varying from picograms to several micrograms per gram.

Melatonin has been observed to reduce stress tolerance in Phytophthora infestans in plant-pathogen systems.