The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word MELATONIN
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
M
E
L
A
T
O
N
I
N
More clues leading to the result MELATONIN
- Fruit containing date’s pith, covered with colour regulator?
- What could produce ailment? No hormone
- Hormone replacement treatment of ailment’s working internally
- Hormone present in rampant Latino men?
- No ailment could be produced by this hormone
- Hormone in male not developed
- Hormone that can make Latino men excited
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "hormone" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case hormone = melatonin.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does MELATONIN mean?
MELATONIN noun- A hormone, related to serotonin, that is secreted by the pineal gland, and stimulates colour change in the skin of reptiles, and is involved in the sleep/wake and reproductive cycles in mammals
- Any material similar in its chemistry and effect to the natural hormone.