title: Day/night differences in pineal indoles in the adult pigeon (Columba livia).
abstract: Day/night differences in concentrations of 5-hydroxy and 5-methoxy indole metabolites in the pineal gland of the pigeon are described. A simultaneous determination of 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, 5-hydroxytryptophol, N-acetyl-5-hydroxytryptamine (N-acetyl serotonin), 5-methoxyindoleacetic acid, 5-methoxytryptophol, tryptophan, indoleacetic acid and melatonin was accomplished using a recently developed procedure employing high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. As in mammalian species, an inverse relationship was observed between N-acetylated indoles and serotonin and its acid metabolites. Melatonin and N-acetyl serotonin were increased approximately three-fold at night to concentrations of 0.730 and 1.79 ng/pineal respectively. Daytime serotonin values were 44.9 +/- 13.0 ng/pineal and decreased to 12.3 +/- 6.5 ng/pineal during the dark phase.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D010856:Columbidae / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007211:Indoles / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D007211:Indoles