ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT The utilization of dietary compounds to target, treat, and even prevent certain diseases has become an area of great and fundamental interest. The Mediterranean diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, is associated with a low incidence of chronic degenerative disorders common to Western populations, and compelling evidence points to a reduced risk of cancer and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases in Mediterranean countries compared with other industrialized countries. These observations may be related to benecial compounds in the diet, including antioxidants, minerals, ber, and many biologically active molecules. A new diet element has recently contributed to improve the phytochemical diversity of healthy diets and their benecial potential effects: melatonin. Melatonin was rst identied in plants in 1995, and its medicinal and nutritional relevance to both animals and humans and its functions in plants have acquired diffuse interest. In particular, melatonin has been identied in a very large number of plant species. So far, it has been detected and quantied in the roots, shoots, leaves, owers, fruits, and seeds of a considerable variety of spermatophyte species that are relevant to humans as food and medicinal plants. When plant products are eaten, melatonin is absorbed through the gut and inuences the levels of indoleamine in the blood as well as improving antioxidant status. The
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 272 Melatonin in Plants ................................................................................................................................ 273 Melatonin in Food .................................................................................................................................. 275
Grapes and Wines ............................................................................................................................. 276 Beer ................................................................................................................................................... 278 Coffee ................................................................................................................................................ 279 Oils .................................................................................................................................................... 280 Fruits ................................................................................................................................................. 280 Rice ................................................................................................................................................... 283 Melatonin in Medicinal Herbs .......................................................................................................... 284
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 286 References .............................................................................................................................................. 286
concentration of melatonin in edible plants varies widely and, to date, it is difcult to calculate how a specic diet may positively inuence human health. This chapter will summarize and update current knowledge about melatonin in plant foods and medicinal herbs, and provide an overview of the major implications of the consumption of plant foods containing melatonin for the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle and protection against diseases.
