Table 1.
Characteristic studies on melatonin in plants, as a healthcare phytochemical and as a molecule of interest for plant physiology
| Plant Species | Analytical Method | Objective | Reference (Year) |
| Phytochemical studies | |||
| 24 edible species | Radioimmunoassay and HPLC-FLU | Level of melatonin in foodstuffs | 28 (1995) |
| 5 edible plant species | Radioimmunoassay and GC-MS | ” | 26 (1995) |
| Tanacetum parthenium Hypericum perforatum Scutellaria baicalensis Scutellaria lateriflora | Radioimmunoassay and HPLC-EC | Level of melatonin in medicinal herbs | 39 (1997) |
| 15 seeds of edible plants | Radioimmunoassay and HPLC-EC | Level of melatonin and seed protection | 33 (2000) |
| Prunus cerasus, fruit | HPLC-EC | Level of melatonin | 32 (2001) |
| 64 Chinese medicinal herbs | HPLC-FLU and HPLC-MS | ” | 40 (2003) |
| Portulaca oleracea | HPLC-EC and GC-MS | ” | 42 (2005) |
| Plant physiology studies | |||
| Chenopodium rubrum, shoots | Radioimmunoassay and HPLC-MS | Rhythms in melatonin levels | 63 (1997) |
| ” | HPLC-MS | Light/dark photoperiod in melatonin levels | 64 (2001) |
| ” | Radiolabel melatonin-Liquid scintillation | Effect of exogenous applied melatonin in flowering | 65 (2003) |
| Pharbitis nil, seedlings | Radioimmunoassay and GC-MS | Melatonin in different photoperiods | 35 (2001) |
| Lycopersicon esculentum, fruit | Melatonin at different ripening stage | ||
| Hypericum perforatum, cultured cells | HPLC-EC and HPLC-MS | Metabolism of melatonin | 54 (2000) |
| Hypericum perforatum, cultured cells | HPLC-EC and HPLC-MS | Melatonin in organogenesis | 79 (2001) |
| Hypericum perforatum, flower | HPLC-EC and HPLC-MS | Melatonin in flower development | 70 (2002) |
| Daucus carota, cultured cells | - | Effect of exogenous melatonin as protector | 71 (2004) |
| Lupinus albus, hypocotyl | HPLC-EC and HPLC-MS | Melatonin as growth promoter | 75 (2004) |
| Triticum aestivum, coleptile, root | HPLC-EC and HPLC-MS | Melatonin as growth promoter in coleoptiles | 76 (2005) |
| Avena sativa, coleoptile, root | Melatonin as growth inhibitor in roots | ||
| Hordeum vulgare, coleoptile, root | |||
| Phalaris canariensis, coleoptile, root |
HPLC, high performance liquid chromatography; GC, gas chromatography; FLU, fluorescence detection; EC, electrochemical detection; MS, mass spectrometry.