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Create: 2004-09-16 Modify: 2024-11-30 Description Melatonin is a member of the class of acetamides that is acetamide in which one of the hydrogens attached to the nitrogen atom is replaced by a 2-(5-methoxy-1H-indol-3-yl)ethyl group. It is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland in humans. It has a role as a hormone, an anticonvulsant, an immunological adjuvant, a radical scavenger, a central nervous system depressant, a human metabolite, a mouse metabolite and a geroprotector. It is a member of acetamides and a member of tryptamines. It is functionally related to a tryptamine. Melatonin is a biogenic amine that is found in animals, plants and microbes. Aaron B. Lerner of Yale University is credited for naming the hormone and for defining its chemical structure in 1958. In mammals, melatonin is produced by the pineal gland. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland that has multiple effects including somnolence, and is believed to play a role in regulation of the sleep-wake cycle. Melatonin is available over-the-counter and is reported to have beneficial effects on wellbeing and sleep. Melatonin has not been implicated in causing serum enzyme elevations or clinically apparent liver injury.