Effects of harmane and other β-carbolines on apomorphine-induced licking behavior in rat

A review on medicinal importance, pharmacological activity and bioanalytical aspects of beta-carboline alkaloid “Harmine”

“…Harmine is a very important natural product due to its interesting chemistry, pharmacological importance and therapeutic potentials such as antitumor, anti-HIV and other biological activities [13] . Neurochemical and behavioral studies have shown that some beta-carboline alkaloids facilitate the dopaminergic transmission and interact with D1 and D2 dopaminergic receptors in the striatum [8] . Most beta-carboline alkaloids are known to be strong inhibitors of which metabolizes catecholamine neurotransmitters [3] .…”

“…Beta-carboline compounds act as inverse agonists at the benzodiazepine site of the gammaaminobutyric acid type A receptors and have actions entirely opposite to those of the anxiolytic benzodiazepines. These compounds are also associated with the potentiation of monoaminergic pathways through inhibition of (MAO) A or B , blockade of reuptake sites and direct activation of monoamine receptors [8] .…”

Pharmacological studies of Syrian rue (Peganum harmala L., Zygophyllaceae)

“…Among the important phytochemicals of P. harmala β-carboline alkaloids constitute the most important constitutions of this plant. This class of alkaloids is well known for several pharmacological activity include neuropsychological effects, that as an major investigated mechanism these compounds can facilities dopaminergic effects and intract with D1 and D2 dopamine receptors in brain also observed some cross interaction between these chemicals and benzodiazepine receptors [13,14,15]. P. harmala main alkaloids (harmine and harmaline in seeds and roots) can be played role in antinociceptive and antidepressant effects of this plant [16,17,18].…”

In vivo comparison of harmine efficacy against psychostimulants: Preferential inhibition of the cocaine response through a glutamatergic mechanism

“…It produces multiple biological effects, including glutamate transporter subtype 1 (GLT-1) activation [20], monoamine oxidase A inhibition [17], 5-HT 2A receptor activation [11], cyclin-dependent kinase inhibition [34], imidazoline site interactions, and inverse agonist actions at the benzodiazepine site of GABA A receptors [1,8,15,25]. Despite targeting biological systems that underlie drug addiction, harmine has not been extensively tested for its efficacy against different classes of abused drugs.…”

“…Despite targeting biological systems that underlie drug addiction, harmine has not been extensively tested for its efficacy against different classes of abused drugs. Rat studies indicate that norharman, a related β-carboline compound, reduces cocaine intake in a U-shaped manner and that harmine reduces severity of the naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal syndrome and antagonize licking induced by apomorphine [2,5,8]. The present study used a simple invertebrate (planarian) assay to compare the efficacy of harmine against psychostimulants.…”