[Preliminary study of the synthesis, plasma circulation and urinary elimination of melatonin in man and the rat].

A structural immunochemical study has shown that fixation of melatonin on bovine serum albumin by formaldehyde occurs via reaction of both an indole NH group and the side chain, allowing extremely specific antibody production. Isotopic in vitro investigations and radioimmunological estimation of this hormone in man and in the rat shows that it is transported by plasmatic albumin in a 1/10(6) ratio and is eliminated in the urine as native material, 6-hydroxy melatonin and as an as yet unidentified metabolite.