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

Melatonin content was screened in seven herbs used as sleeping aids in Thai traditional medicine. These herbs are Piper nigrum L, Sesbania glandiflora (L.) Desv., Sesbania sesban, Senna tora (L.) Roxb, Moringa oleifera, Momordica charantia L. and Baccaurea ramiflora Lour. Dried herbs were extracted by sonication in methanol for 6 hours at room temperature, then melatonin was purified by C18 solid phase extraction. Melatonin was quantified by RP-C18 HPLC with fluorescent detection. The highest melatonin content was from Piper nigrum extract (1092.7 ng/g of dry sample weight). 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. Melatonin peak was absent in the extract of M. oleifera. Melatonin identification was confirmed by ELISA.

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