5-methoxy Tryptophol (5-MTOH) is a natural indole that is produced by the pineal gland.1,2 It is a product of melatonin metabolism that may be biologically active.3,4 The levels of 5-MTOH in plasma vary in a diurnal pattern in rodents and humans.5,6
1.Delvigs, P., McIsaac, W.M., and Taborsky, R.G.The metabolism of 5-metholxytryptopholJ. Biol. Chem.240(1)348-350(1965) 2.Mullen, P.E., Leone, R.M., Hooper, J., et al.Pineal 5-methoxy tryptophol in manPsychoneuroendocrinology4(2)117-126(1979) 3.Slominski, A., Semak, I., Pisarchik, A., et al.Conversion of L-tryptophan to serotonin and melatonin in human melanoma cellsFEBS Lett.511(1-3)102-106(2002) 4.Zisapel, N., Egozi, Y., and Laudon, M.Circadian variations in the inhibition of dopamine release from adult and newborn rat hypothalamus by melatoninNeuroendocrinology40(2)102-108(1985) 5.Reddy, M.Y., and Jaqota, A.Melatonin has differential effects on age-induced stoichiometric changes in daily chronomics of serotonin metabolism in SCN of male Wistar ratsBiogerontology16(3)285-302(2015) 6.Wurtman, R.J., and Ozaki, Y.Physiological control of melatonin synthesis and secretion: Mechanisms, generating rhythms in melatonin, methoxytryptophol, and arginine vasotocin levels and effects on the pineal of endogenous catecholamines, the estrous cycle, and environmental lightingJ. Neural Transm. Suppl.13(13)59-70(1978)