Melatonin (Melatonine, short for MT, CAS No.: 73-31-4) is one of the hormones secreted by the pineal gland. Melatonin belongs to the indole heterocyclic compound, and its chemical name is N-acetyl-5 methoxytryptamine, also known as pineal gland, melatonin, and melatonin. After the synthesis of melatonin, it is stored in the pineal gland, and the sympathetic nerve excites the pineal gland cells to release melatonin. The secretion of melatonin has an obvious circadian rhythm, the secretion is inhibited during the day, and the secretion is active at night. Melatonin can inhibit the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis, reduce the contents of gonadotropin-releasing hormone, gonadotropin, luteinizing hormone and follicular estrogen, and can directly act on the gonads, reducing androgens, estrogen and The content of progesterone. In addition, MT has strong neuroendocrine and immunomodulatory activity and free radical scavenging antioxidant capacity, which may become a new method and approach for antiviral therapy. MT is finally metabolized in the liver, and damage to liver cells can affect the level of MT in the body

Function of Melatonin

1. Prevent disease

Because MT can easily enter cells, it can take on the task of protecting nuclear DNA. If DNA is damaged, it can cause cancer. If there is enough MT in the blood, it is not easy to develop cancer.

2. Adjust the circadian rhythm

Melatonin is a hormone in the body that induces natural sleep. It overcomes sleep disorders and improves sleep quality by regulating people's natural sleep. The biggest difference between it and other sleeping pills is that melatonin is not addictive and has no obvious side effects. Oral 1-2 tablets (about 1.5-3 mg of melatonin) before going to bed at night, usually within 20 to 30 minutes, you can feel drowsiness, and melatonin automatically loses its efficacy after dawn in the morning, and you will not be tired or awake after getting up. But the feeling of coming.

3. Delay aging

The pineal gland of the elderly gradually shrinks, and the secretion of Mel decreases accordingly. Insufficient amount of MT required by various organs in the body leads to aging and diseases. Scientists call the pineal gland the "aging clock" of the human body. When we supplement Mel from the body, we can set the aging clock back.

4. Regulating effect on the central nervous system

A large number of clinical and experimental studies have shown that as an endogenous neuroendocrine hormone, melatonin has a direct and indirect physiological regulation effect on the central nervous system, has a therapeutic effect on sleep disorders, depression and mental illness, and has a protective effect on nerve cells. effect. For example, melatonin has a sedative effect, can also treat depression and psychosis, can protect nerves, can relieve pain, regulate the hormones released by the hypothalamus, and so on.

5. Regulating the immune system

Neuroendocrine and immune systems are interrelated, and the immune system and its products can change the function of neuroendocrine. The neuroendocrine signal also affects the internal immune function. In the past ten years, the regulatory effect of melatonin on the immune system has attracted widespread attention. It not only affects the growth and development of immune organs, but also regulates humoral and cellular immunity, as well as cytokines.

6. Regulating effect on cardiovascular system

The function of the vascular system has obvious circadian rhythms and seasonal rhythms. Including blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone, etc., all have rhythm. The increase in nighttime MT secretion is negatively correlated with the decrease in cardiovascular activity; pineal melatonin can prevent heart tandem disorders caused by ischemia-reperfusion injury, affect blood pressure control, regulate cerebral blood flow, and regulate the effect of peripheral arteries on norepinephrine Reactive.

In addition, melatonin also regulates the human respiratory system, digestive system, and urinary system.