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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Melatonin

Central Nervous System Hypnotics and anxiolytics BNF 0401010AD
Data updated May 2026 Download CSV

Melatonin was ranked 97th of 1,796 medicines by items in May 2026, with 266,442 items, up 14.2% on a year earlier.

266,442items +14.2%

Dispensed in May 2026

2,592,464items

Rolling 12 months

£3,859,620

Net ingredient cost · May 2026

Figure 1. Melatonin: national items dispensed by month

0 224k 449k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 Jul 2026 448,516 Jan 2021: 119k Feb 2021: 114k Mar 2021: 130k Apr 2021: 124k May 2021: 120k Jun 2021: 129k Jul 2021: 129k Aug 2021: 121k Sep 2021: 132k Oct 2021: 127k Nov 2021: 134k Dec 2021: 140k Jan 2022: 139k Feb 2022: 130k Mar 2022: 147k Apr 2022: 137k May 2022: 145k Jun 2022: 143k Jul 2022: 143k Aug 2022: 142k Sep 2022: 151k Oct 2022: 148k Nov 2022: 155k Dec 2022: 154k Jan 2023: 162k Feb 2023: 150k Mar 2023: 175k Apr 2023: 154k May 2023: 168k Jun 2023: 172k Jul 2023: 169k Aug 2023: 168k Sep 2023: 174k Oct 2023: 176k Nov 2023: 182k Dec 2023: 181k Jan 2024: 196k Feb 2024: 184k Mar 2024: 188k Apr 2024: 195k May 2024: 200k Jun 2024: 191k Jul 2024: 207k Aug 2024: 196k Sep 2024: 204k Oct 2024: 215k Nov 2024: 211k Dec 2024: 217k Jan 2025: 233k Feb 2025: 210k Mar 2025: 225k Apr 2025: 222k May 2025: 233k Jun 2025: 234k Jul 2025: 248k Aug 2025: 226k Sep 2025: 252k Oct 2025: 258k Nov 2025: 246k Dec 2025: 269k Jan 2026: 273k Feb 2026: 253k Mar 2026: 276k Apr 2026: 272k May 2026: 266k Jun 2026: 285k Jul 2026: 449k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

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At a glance

  • Therapeutic class Hypnotics and anxiolytics
  • Presentations 15 shown
  • Average cost / item £14.49
  • Year on year Up 14.2% on a year earlier
What this is
Net ingredient cost is the list price before discounts and dispensing fees, not what the NHS finally pays.

Top presentations, May 2026

The individual products dispensed under Melatonin this month.

Presentations of Melatonin, May 2026
Presentation BNF code Items Net ingredient cost
Melatonin 2mg modified-release tablets 0401010ADAAAAAA 167,380 £610,207
Melatonin 2mg tablets 0401010ADAABKBK 15,672 £212,396
Melatonin 1mg/ml oral solution sugar free 0401010ADAACZCZ 15,288 £284,959
Circadin 2mg modified-release tablets 0401010ADBBAAAA 12,615 £414,477
Slenyto 1mg modified-release tablets 0401010ADBDAACU 9,458 £369,362
Adaflex 2mg tablets 0401010ADBGABBK 7,629 £117,305
Slenyto 5mg modified-release tablets 0401010ADBDABCV 7,201 £829,834
Melatonin 3mg tablets 0401010ADAACYCY 4,368 £66,516
Melatonin 4mg tablets 0401010ADAACPCP 3,921 £41,752
Ceyesto 1mg/ml oral solution 0401010ADBFABCZ 3,827 £108,650
Adaflex 3mg tablets 0401010ADBGACCY 2,681 £43,480
Melatonin 2mg capsules 0401010ADAAAEAE 2,332 £198,343
Adaflex 4mg tablets 0401010ADBGADCP 2,308 £28,204
Adaflex 1mg tablets 0401010ADBGAAAI 1,890 £32,404
Adaflex 5mg tablets 0401010ADBGAEBL 1,759 £24,717

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis · to May 2026 OGL v3.0

Where Melatonin is dispensed

The regions and dispensing practices with the highest Melatonin volumes.

Regional volumes from NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis; practice volumes from NHS dispensing data.

Compare Melatonin with

Other medicines in the same BNF section, by prescribing volume.

Download this data

The monthly series for Melatonin is in this page's CSV. For the ranked national series across every medicine, with the method and caveats documented, see the most-prescribed medicines dataset in our open data catalogue.