杏吧原创

MELATONIN, widely taken as an antioxidant and to combat jet lag, transforms
inside the body into two compounds similar to brain-signalling chemicals.

Giuseppe Squadrito and his colleagues at Louisiana State University in Baton
Rouge have found that carbonate and nitrogen dioxide radicals, which are
constantly formed in the body, react with melatonin to form two compounds that
resemble neurotransmitters.

Although the function of the neurotransmitters is unknown, Squadrito believes
the melatonin derivatives could affect mood, sleep patterns and sex drive. 鈥淚t鈥檚
speculative, but they have a structure similar to [neurotransmitters] known to
have bioreactivity,鈥� he says. The results will appear in Chemical Research in
Toxicology.