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Melatonin in Chinese medicinal herbs.
Guofang Chen1, Yushu Huo, Dun Xian Tan
1Dalian Institute of Chemistry and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 161 Zhong Shan Road, Dalian 116011, China.
Life Sciences
|May 3, 2003
Summary
Melatonin, an antioxidant, was found in most Chinese medicinal herbs. Many herbs contain high levels, suggesting reevaluation of their nutritional and medicinal value for human health.
Area of Science:
- Phytochemistry
- Pharmacology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Melatonin is a conserved molecule found across diverse organisms, including plants.
- In plants, melatonin acts as an antioxidant, potentially protecting against oxidative stress.
- Dietary intake of melatonin from edible plants can introduce it into animal and human systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and quantify melatonin levels in over 100 Chinese medicinal herbs.
- To assess the potential contribution of these herbs to dietary melatonin intake.
- To re-evaluate the medicinal and nutritional value of these herbs based on melatonin content.
Main Methods:
- Solid phase extraction for sample preparation.
- High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Fluorescence Detection (HPLC-FD) coupled online with Mass Spectrometry (MS) for melatonin quantification.
Main Results:
- Melatonin was detected in the majority of the analyzed Chinese medicinal herbs.
- Sixty-four herbs contained melatonin levels exceeding 10 ng/g dry mass.
- Several herbs exhibited exceptionally high melatonin concentrations, over 1000 ng/g, far exceeding typical human physiological plasma levels.
Conclusions:
- Chinese medicinal herbs are a significant source of dietary melatonin.
- The high melatonin content in these herbs warrants further investigation into their therapeutic potential for conditions related to oxidative stress.
- These findings suggest a need to re-evaluate the nutritional and medicinal value of commonly used Chinese medicinal herbs.