Serotonin is an important neurotransmitter in humans and animals, and it is thought to have particular functions that relate to mood. It is found in the central and peripheral nervous system, with large amounts of serotonin being synthesised in parts of the brain as well as the gut. In fact serotonin was first isolated from gut cells in humans. Serotonin is also present in plants, and was first isolated from Mucuna pruriens (cowhage) in the 1950s. Certain plants such as sour cherries can be important dietary sources of serotonin. In plants, serotonin is thought to be a growth regulator and a molecule that is involved in plant defence. Serotonin is structurally similar to melatonin, which is also present in many plants, and humans and plants can convert serotonin into melatonin. Environmental factors can significantly influence the concentrations of serotonin in plants, suggesting that large variations in concentrations may be expected from different harvests. Serotonin can also be conjugated to various phenolic compounds to form hydroxycinnamic acid amides (HCAAs), which are intricately involved in plant growth and the stress response, particularly with regard to wound healing following attack by herbivores. Consuming a high plant diet should provide significant amounts of serotonin in the human diet.
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Erland, L.A.E. and Saxena, P.K. 2017. Beyond a neurotransmitter: the role of serotonin in plants. Neurotransmitter. 4. 1538
