History
The history of Melatonin begins with the history of the pineal gland. In the 16th century, Descartes declared that the pineal gland was the “seat of the soul,” where mind body, and soul came together. For centuries, the pineal gland was thought to be a vestigial organ like the appendix.
Melatonin
was first isolated from pineal glands of cattle by the dermatologist Aaron Lerner
at Yale University in 1958. The
next year, Lerner found that Melatonin was a hormone created in the pineal gland
and that it was created through the action of certain enzymes on a precursor
chemical, which he found to be Serotonin. In
the 1960s, Melatonin’s responsiveness to light in lower animals was
discovered.
Aaron Lerner
(info.med.yale.edu/library/exhibits/ yalemed3/1971-1981.html)
The thought that Melatonin regulated night-day patterns was first assumed in 1979. In the 80s, Melatonin became intensely studied. In 1984, a study was conducted in which people were given various dosages of Melatonin before they went to bed, and it was found that Melatonin made people sleepy. In the 90s, especially around 1995, the popular media embraced Melatonin as discoveries and theories were being drawn about the hormone. There was an article about Melatonin on the cover of Newsweek. Several books were written about Melatonin. In 1995 it was discovered that high levels of Melatonin could be found in tomatoes, carrots, and nuts. Melatonin became a dietary supplement. Today it is available in health stores for consumer use.
(www.unicom.unizh.ch/magazin/ archiv/3-97/jetlag.html)
WHAT IS MELATONIN CHEMICAL INFORMATION THE FACTS AND THE FICTION REFERENCES