The developmental pattern of in vitro rat liver melatonin degrading activity.

The developmental pattern of the in vitro rat liver melatonin degrading activity was studied. Livers from rats 3, 12, 16, 21, 30 and 90 days old were incubated with [3H] melatonin. A high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) technique was used to determine the appearance of melatonin metabolic product--6-hydroxymelatonin--in the liver extract. Catabolic activity belong very low at age 3 days, increased rapidly with age and reached maximum activity between the ages 21 to 30 days.