title: Measurement of melatonin and its metabolites: importance for the evaluation of their biological roles.
abstract: Many physiologic changes related to light-dark cycles and antioxidant effects have been related to melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) and its metabolites, N1-acetyl-N2-formyl-5-methoxykynuramine (AFMK) and N1-acetyl-5-methoxykynuramine (AMK). In this review, we discuss some methodologies, in particular, those employing high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) assays to quantitatively determine melatonin, AFMK, and AMK. These approaches offer a highly specific and an accurate quantification of melatonin and its metabolites. These characteristics are essential to point out correctly the biological effects of these compounds in physiological and pathological conditions.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Setor de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Glaucia R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: Eduardo A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Clécio F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Klitzke
authors.forename: Janice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Onuki
authors.forename: Fernanda M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Prado
authors.forename: Marisa H G
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Di Mascio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D006801:Humans; D007735:Kynuramine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008550:Melatonin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D012015:Reference Standards
chemical_list: D007735:Kynuramine; C041550:N-acetyl-N-formyl-5-methoxykynurenamine; C032131:N-acetyl-5-methoxy kynurenamine; D008550:Melatonin