Is the small round white pill with no markings melatonin? (5 identification tips)
By
Dr Natalia Marceli Stephanes (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes PhD is a Pharmacist with expertise in Drugs Administration and Toxicity; Discovery of New Drugs; Cancer Treatment; Biochemical Analyzes and Hematological Analyzes. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes’ Highlights:
- Pharmacist at the Department of Health of Santa Catarina State, Brazil
- PhD with a focus on oncology treatment
- Years of experience in commercial pharmacy
- Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina
Professional Experience:
From her undergraduate studies to her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Pharmacy, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has participated in numerous scientific studies in the field of oncology and onco-hematology at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Her research has focused on understanding the molecular and biochemical bases of malignant neoplasms and investigating safer and more effective therapeutic alternatives.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has also served as an assistant professor of haematology for undergraduate students at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. Additionally, she held the position of professor of Hospital Pharmacy at the Qualificar Technical School in Brazil, where she developed instructional materials for use in the Pharmacy Postgraduate Program at the Leonardo Da Vinci University Center.
In addition to her academic experiences, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes possesses a strong expertise in commercial pharmacy, with in-depth knowledge of medications, their routes of administration, desired effects, adverse effects, and toxicity.
Currently, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes works as a Pharmacist at the Health Department of Santa Catarina State, where her role entails providing pharmaceutical scientific consulting services to judges.
Education:
- 2016 Bachelor in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2018 Master in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2023 PhD in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
The main publications of Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes are:
Falchetti M ; Delgobo M, Zancanaro H, Almeida K, Das Neves RN, Dos Santos B, Stefanes NM, et al. Bishop Omics-based identification of an NRF2-related auranofin resistance signature in cancer: Insights into drug repurposing. Comput. Biol. Med [Internet]. 2023; 152:106347.
Feuser PM, Matos dos Santos PC, Cordeiro AP, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Maioral MF, Santos-Silva MC, et al. Antineoplastic activity of free 4-nitrochalcone and encapsulated in poly(thioether-ester) nanoparticles obtained by thiol-ene polymerization in two human leukemia cell lines (Jurkat and K562). J Drug Deliv Sci Technol [Internet]. 2022; 67:102924.
Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Perondi DM, Efe FL, Souza LFS, Sens L, et al. Synthesis of chalcones derived from 1-naphthylacetophenone and evaluation of their cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in acute leukemia cell lines. Bioorg. Chem [Internet]. 2021; 116:105315.
Duarte BF, Vieira DSC, Lisboa ML, Stefanes NM, Grando LJ, Santos-Silva MC. Características clínico-epidemiológicas de pacientes portadores de carcinoma de células escamosas de boca. Arquivos Catarinenses de Medicina. 2021; 50(2): 232–245.
Machado V, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Santos-Silva MC, Biavatti MW. Anti-leukemic activity of semisynthetic derivatives of Lupeol. Nat. Prod. Res. 2021; 35(22):4494-4501.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Yunes RA, et al. A novel sulfonamide derivative as a strong and selective apoptotic agent against hematological malignancies. Chem. Pap. 2020; 74:2965–2976.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Cytotoxic mechanisms of primin, a natural quinone isolated from Eugenia hiemalis, on hematological cancer cell lines. Anticancer Drugs. 2020; 31(7):709-717.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Neufeldt PD, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Santos-Silva MC. Aldehyde biphenyl chalcones induce immunogenic apoptotic-like cell death and are promising new safe compounds against a wide range of hematologic cancers. Future Med. Chem. 2020; 12(8):673–688.
Perondi DM, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Maioral MF, Sens L, Pacheco LA, Cury NM, et al. A novel thiosemicarbazone as a promising effective and selective compound for acute leukemia. Anticancer Drugs. 2019; 30(8):p 828-837.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Argenta DF, Dotto MER, Santos-Silva MC, et al. PEO-chitosan nanofibers containing carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanoparticles loaded with pyrazoline for skin cancer treatment. Eur. Polym. J. 2019; 119:335-343.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Santos-Silva MC, Nunes RJ, Parize AL, et al. A new and efficient carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanocarrier for a pyrazoline with antileukemic activity. Mater. Sci. Eng. C [Internet]. 2019; 105:110051.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Miconidine acetate, a new selective and cytotoxic compound with synergic potential, induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in leukemia cells. Invest. New Drugs. 2019; 37:912–922.
Srefanes NM, Toigo J, Maioral MF, Jacques AV, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Perondi DM, Ribeiro AAB, et al. Synthesis of novel pyrazoline derivatives and the evaluation of death mechanisms involved in their antileukemic activity. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2019; 27(2):375-382.
Maioral MF, Bodack CN, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Yunes RA, et al. Cytotoxic effect of a novel naphthylchalcone against multiple cancer cells focusing on hematologic malignancies. Biochim. 2017; 140:48-57.
You can view some of Dr Natália’s work below and links to her professional profile below.
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Natalia-Stephanes
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliamarceli/
Is the small round white pill with no markings melatonin?
No, It is not possible to identify a drug based solely on its size and color. All OTC and Prescription drugs are bound by FDA to have a specific marking on them for identification. If your tablet is not marked, it could be a vitamin, diet, herbal, energy pill, or an illicit or foreign drug.
Melatonin tablets usually do not have markings placed on them which can be a bit tiring but the following characteristics can help you identify them.
- Color and Shape: Melatonin Tablets usually are produced in small round shapes, but they are available in all shapes and sizes, so relying only on the color and shape is not recommended, but generally the melatonin tablet is a small white or off-white color.
- Packaging and Labeling: FDA-approved drugs come in specified packaging and labeling. The cover includes all the important information about the manufacturer, dosage, and ingredients.
- Source and Reliability: Drugs, especially the controlled ones should be purchased from verifier retailers like pharmacies or trusted drugs stores.
How to identify a pill without marking?
Identifying a pill without markings can be challenging because most people are used to identifying a pill by their pill identification number, however, there are steps that can be followed to identify a pill without markings:
- Shape and size: Firstly, note the shape of the pill. The size of the pill should also be noted.
- Color: Pills, with few exceptions, are different from each other in one feature, either shape, size, or color, so make note of the color of the pill.
- Texture and coating: Note the surface, some pills might be shiny with a glossy finish while others have a rough surface.
- Score lines: Check if the pill has some score lines on them. These can be good differentiators of a pill from another.
- Packaging: Every pill has its own unique packaging according to the FDA guidelines. The details of the pill are clearly mentioned on the cover of the pill.
One should not rely on a single one of the features mentioned above. You can easily identify a pill by pairing 2 or 3 identification features mentioned above. You can use certain Pill identifiers available on websites like WebMD (1) and Drugs.com (2).
What are the risks if I take an unidentified pill?
There are certain risks associated with the consumption of an unidentified pill. The following are the potential risks associated with consuming an unidentified pill:
- Adverse reactions: There might be certain Adverse effects associated with an unidentified drug, which can prove to be harmful to us.
- Incorrect dosage: improper identification can result in a wrong dosage consumption of a drug.
- Health complications: The unidentified pill can contain deleterious substances in it.
- Drug interactions: The pill might interact with the drugs you are already taking on daily bases. For instance, taking Melatonin with Lorazepam can amplify each other’s effects.
- Delayed proper treatment: Taking an unidentified might result in the worsening of your medical condition.
- Legal issues: Possession of unmarked or unidentifiable pills is illegal in some jurisdictions.
What are the legal requirements for a pill identification number?
FDA has assigned a unique identifier NDC assigner to each drug, It consists of the following 3 segments:
- The first segment, known as the labeler code, identifies the manufacturer, repackager, or distributor of the medication. It is typically a five-digit number assigned by the FDA.
- The second segment, the product code, identifies the specific medication, dosage form, strength, and formulation. It is usually a four-digit number assigned by the labeler.
- The third segment is the package code, which indicates the package size and type. It is typically a two-digit number.
This system is not followed by all the countries around the world. Certain countries have their own identifiers of a specific pill.
Conclusion
A pill should be properly identified before consumption, otherwise, it can have certain health disasters associated with it. Identification of a pill without specific markings can be extremely difficult but certain features including the shape, size, color, texture, coating, score lines, and packaging of the pill can help you identify a pill better. However, relying solely on these characteristics may not provide a definitive identification. Make sure to avoid taking unidentified pills and proper identification of a pill should be done according to the FDA guidelines.
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References
1.-
Pill identifier – find pills by color, shape, imprint, or picture [Internet]. WebMD; [cited 2023 May 15]. Available from: https://www.webmd.com/pill-identification/default.htm
2.-
Pill identification wizard from drugs.com [Internet]. Drugs.com; [cited 2023 May 15]. Available from: https://www.drugs.com/imprints.php
