Α-Methylmelatonin
Melatonin analogue
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
α-Methylmelatonin, also known as α-methyl-5-methoxy-N-acetyltryptamine, is a synthetic tryptamine derivative and analogue of the monoamine neurotransmitter melatonin.[1] It is a metabolite of α-methyltryptophan, α-methyl-5-hydroxytryptophan, and α-methylserotonin that can be formed in small amounts via aralkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT).[1] α-Methyltryptophan and α-methyl-5-hydroxytryptophan are prodrugs of α-methylserotonin that have serotonergic actions and have been suggested for potential therapeutic use.[2][3][4][5] However, while formation of α-methylmelatonin can occur from these compounds, α-alkylated tryptamines show 95% reduced suitability as substrates for AANAT compared to non-α-alkylated tryptamines in vitro and no α-methylmelatonin could be detected with administration of α-methyltryptophan in vivo in animals.[1] α-Methyl-N-acetylserotonin is an intermediate is the formation of α-methylmelatonin from α-methylserotonin.[1][6]
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| Other names | α-Methyl-5-methoxy-N-acetyltryptamine; α-Methyl-N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine |
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| Formula | C14H18N2O2 |
| Molar mass | 246.310 g·mol−1 |
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