Chemical Properties
Off-White Solid
Uses
Harman alkaloid like harmane, harmine, harmalol, harmaline obtained from Banisteriopsis caapi L. showed cytotoxicity, antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris and Candida albicans.
Definition
ChEBI: An indole alkaloid fundamental parent with a structure of 9H-beta-carboline carrying a methyl substituent at C-1. It has been isolated from the bark of Sickingia rubra, Symplocus racemosa, P
ssiflora incarnata, Peganum harmala, Banisteriopsis caapi and Tribulus terrestris, as well as from tobacco smoke. It is a specific, reversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase A.
General Description
- Harmane is a potent tremor-producing β-carboline alkaloid and neurotoxin.
- It is major representative of heterocyclic aromatic amines, a group of mutagenic and carcinogenic substances which are formed in meat from the precursors creatine, creatinine, amino acids and sugars during the heating at high temperatures.
- Blood harmane concentration is elevated in essential tremor, late-life neurological disease.
Biological Activity
Proposed as the endogenous ligand for imidazoline binding sites. Binds to I 1 -sites in rat kidney with an IC 50 of 31 nM, and I 2 -sites with a K i of 49 nM. In vivo, produces a dose-dependent hypotension that is reversed by efaroxan (2-(2-Ethyl-2,3-dihydro-2-benzofuranyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole hydrochloride ). Also a potent inhibitor of monoamine oxidases A and B (I 50 values are 0.5 and 5 μ M respectively).
Biochem/physiol Actions
I1 imidazoline binding site agonist.
