In 1917, the British scientists C. McFord and F. Allen were engaged in feeding the epiphyses of animals to tadpoles, after which they found out that the skin of tadpoles was discolored. This scientific fact was recorded but did not attract attention until 1953, until Aaron Lerner, a Yale university dermatologist, tried to solve the problem of vitiligo (skin blemishes), and somehow found an article in the course of a literary search, written by the very experimenters from 1917.

Aaron Lerner
Aaron Lerner


The article informed that crushed cow epiphyses, placed in a jar with tadpoles, within 30 minutes cause a complete discoloration of the skin, which loses pigment and becomes so transparent that through it you can easily observe the work of their heart and intestines. Since then, there have been no other publications about this phenomenon.
Lerner began to study this field and as a result discovered a hormone produced by the pineal gland (epiphysis), which he called melatonin and first described its sedative effect on a human being.
After that, the hormone became interesting for lots of scientific circles, and in the course of a number of studies, its truly unique effect on the human body was discovered, which allowed using melatonin in the treatment of a wide range of diseases and seriously improve the quality of life of patients. Melatonin quickly became legendary, the research of it continues, and to this day, scientists find out its new, surprising and sometimes unexpected properties. The modern world is experiencing a real boom for melatonin. This hormone – a natural sleeping pill, antioxidant, and immunomodulator – is called the elixir of youth, beauty, and health, which can significantly better the quality of human life. Clinical studies of melatonin have already demonstrated its effectiveness in treating a variety of diseases, from coronary heart disease to stomach ulcers.