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Determination of melatonin content in traditional Thai herbal remedies used as sleeping aids

Authors

  • Tanit Padumanonda Division of Pharmacognosy and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
  • Jeffrey Johns Office of Academic Affairs and the Melatonin Research Group, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
  • Autcharaporn Sangkasat Office of Academic Affairs and the Melatonin Research Group, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
  • Suppachai Tiyaworanant Division of Pharmacognosy and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand

Keywords:

Melatonin, Sleep aids, Thai herb, Solid phase extraction, HPLC

Abstract

Melatonin content was screened in leaves of seven edible herbs used as sleeping aids in Thai traditional medicine. These plants are Piper nigrum L, Sesbania glandiflora (L.) Desv., Sesbania sesban (L.) Merr., Senna tora (L.) Roxb., Moringa oleifera Lam., Momordica charantia L. and Baccaurea ramiflora Lour. Dried leaves were extracted by sonication in methanol for six hours at room temperature, and then melatonin was purified by C18 solid phase extraction (SPE). Melatonin was then quantified by a validated RP-C18 HPLC method with fluorescent detection. Findings Melatonin contents in extracts of B. ramiflora, S. glandiflora, M. charantia, S. tora and S. sesban were 43.2, 26.3, 21.4, 10.5 and 8.7 ng/g of dry sample weight, respectively. The highest melatonin content was from P. nigrum extract (1092.7 ng/g of dry sample weight). Melatonin was not detected in the extract of M. oleifera. Melatonin identification was confirmed by ELISA. Conclusions Melatonin was found in six of the seven herbs in the traditional Thai sleeping recipe. One of these, P. nigrum, exhibited an encouragingly high amount of melatonin. Keywords: Melatonin, Sleep aids, Thai herb, Solid phase extraction, HPLC

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