How Safe Is Melatonin for Children?

Melatonine (MT) is one of the hormones secreted by the pineal gland of the brain. Melatonin belongs to indole heterocyclic compounds, and its chemical name is N-acetyl-5 methoxytryptamine, also known as pinealpin, melatonin, melatonin. After melatonin is synthesized, it is stored in the pineal gland, and sympathetic nerves excite the pineal gland to release melatonin. Melatonin secretion has a clear circadian rhythm, which is suppressed during the day and active at night. Melatonin can inhibit the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis, reduce the levels of gonadotropin-releasing hormone, gonadotropin, luteinizing hormone, and follicular estrogen, and can directly affect the gonads, reducing androgens, estrogen and Progesterone content. In addition, MT has strong neuroendocrine immunomodulatory activity and scavenging free radical antioxidant capacity, which may become a new method and approach for antiviral therapy. MT is ultimately metabolized in the liver, and damage to liver cells can affect MT levels in the body ^[1-2] .

Yellow-white crystal, melting point 116 ~ 118 , UV absorption peak at 278nm ^[3]

The well-known functions of melatonin are mainly to improve sleep (amount of 0.1 to 0.3 mg), shorten the time to wake up and fall asleep, improve the quality of sleep, significantly reduce the number of awakenings during sleep, shorten the short sleep period, and prolong the deep sleep period. The threshold of wake-up drops the next morning. Have strong time difference adjustment function ^[3]

Can be synthesized by a variety of methods. For example, in pyridine, 5-methoxytryptamine is treated with acetic anhydride at room temperature to obtain N, N-bisacylated derivatives, which are then converted into lye with a yield of 80% ^[3]

LD50> 10g / kg (big, mouse, oral).

Ames test, mouse micronucleus test and mouse sperm aberration test were all negative.

It is an endogenous substance, so it is not a foreign body to the body. It has its own metabolic pathways in the body and does not cause accumulation in the body. The biological half-life is short, and it decreases to normal human physiological level after 7 ~ 8h. Oral tests (several grams, which are thousands of times the normal dose, lasting one month) have shown no abnormalities in more than 3,000 people.

Not suitable for people and matters needing attention: Adolescents, pregnant women and lactating women, patients with autoimmune diseases, and patients with depressive psychosis should not take it. Cannot be taken while driving, before or during mechanical work, and for persons engaged in hazardous operations ^[3]

Medical experts point out

On August 28, 2012, the British "Daily Mail" reported that researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the United States said that it was used before bedtime.

RTECS number: AC5955000

Dangerous goods mark: T:

Risk term: 60:

Security term: S24 / 25