The amount of 6-sulphatoxymelatonin, the chief metabolite of melatonin, in the urine was measured in nine patients, who were subjected to
bilateral sympathectomy at the second thoracic ganglionic level for treatment of hyperhidrosis of the palms. All patients showed before surgery had a normal 6-sulphatoxymelatonin excretion with a peak in the excretion during the night time. After the sympathectomy, the high night time excretion
was clearly abolished in five patients but remained high in four patients. This indicates that the segmental locations of the preganglionic sympathetic perikarya in the spinal cord, stimulating the melatonin secretion in the pineal gland in humans, vary between individuals.
© 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology 252 (2006) 40–45
Melatonin
Melatonin is an important immunomodulator and is the principal means by which tissues are synchronized
to the daily cycle of light exposure and physical actity. Cortisol, on the other hand, is critical for
maintaining energy homeostasis and modulating immune function. Melatonin and cortisol tend to run opposite
to each other. That is, cortisol approaches its low point at bedtime, whereas melatonin reaches its peak a few
hours aft corti bottoms out (see Figure 1 below). Deviations from the normal patterns for these hormones can
have significant implications for overall health and future risk of cancer. In fact, research shows that low
melatonin and high cortisol are independently associated with some of the same health conditions.
Consequently, the balance between these two hormones is important to overall good healt. The melatonin-
cortisol index (MCI)s an innovative way of examining the balance between these two vital hormones. The MCI may be used to assess cancer risk and immune function, and may also aid in the assessment of depression, heart disease, osteoporosis and weight management issues.
Melatonin | Rocky Mountain Analytical Lab
http://www.rmalab.com/index.php?id=61
