Pineal hormone

Serotonin is synthesized via tryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan with decarboxylation of the latter (Fig. 25-12). Within the pineal body of the brain and in the retina, serotonin is acetylated to N-acetylseroto-nin,782/783 which is then O-methylated to melatonin, the pineal hormone (Fig. 25-12). A specific inhibitor of serotonin synthesis is p-chlorophenylalanine, and studies with this and other inhibitors suggest that serotonin is required for sleep.784... 

The pineal gland appears also to play a role in maintaining the mammalian circadian cycle.1081-1083 The concentration of the pineal hormone melatonin (Fig. 27-11) as well as its precursor N-acetylserotonin and the enzyme serotonin N-acetyltransferase (Eq. 30-4) all fluctuate far more than do the concentrations of other metabolites during the 24-h cycle. These metabolites increase over 10-fold concentration at night and decrease by day. During the daytime the serotonin N-acyltransferase, which forms the precursor, is rapidly... 

In patients with DSPS, a delay in the timing of physiological and behavioral systems that demonstrate circadian rhythmicity is reported, compared to normally entrained individuals. This delay is evident in a variety of functions, including secretion of the pineal hormone melatonin (e.g., Ref. 162), thermoregulation, and sleep-wake activity. Individuals with DSPS typically experience difficulty initiat-... 

Dubey V, Mishra D, Asthana A, Jain NK (2006) Transdermal delivery of a pineal hormone melatonin via elastic Uposomes. Biomaterials 27(18) 3491-3496... 

The pineal gland appears also to play a role in maintaining the mammalian circadian cyde. The concentrahon of fhe pineal hormone melatonin (Fig. 27-11) as well as its precursor N-acetylserotonin and the enzyme serotonin N-acetyltransferase (Eq. 30-... 

The pineal hormone melatonin inhibits the production of free radicals that mediate the toxicity of chemotherapy. The main objective of this prototype drug-deHvery system was to develop and evaluate a novel occlusive bioadhesive system for prophylaxis and/or treatment of oral mucositis based on chitosan, melatonin and propoHs in order to exploit natural biomaterials as functional biocompatible gels [35,40],... 

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