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The mass spectrometric analysis of the urinary metabolites of melatonin and its deuterated analogues, confirming their identity as N ‐acetylserotonin and 6‐hydroxymelatonin
Author(s) -
Young I. M.,
Leone R. M.,
Silman R. E.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
biomedical mass spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.475
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9888
pISSN - 0306-042X
DOI - 10.1002/bms.1200120704
Subject(s) - melatonin , metabolite , chemistry , deuterium , mass spectrometry , urine , chromatography , gas chromatography , biochemistry , endocrinology , biology , physics , quantum mechanics
In a recent study, we showed that melatonin could be metabolized to N ‐acetylserotonin and 6‐hydroxymelatonin. To confirm this finding rats were adminstered three different forms of deuterated melatonin intraperitoneally. Their urines were analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and the results showed, in each case, that the appropriate deuterated (or non‐deuterated) metabolite had been formed. From these data it is clear that N ‐acetylserotonin is a urinary metabolite of melatonin.