The β-Carbolines (Harmanes) - A New Class of Endogenous Compounds:

High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of β-carbolines in human scalp hair

“…However, there are still unresolved issues such as hydrophilic ethylglucuronide unsuitable for incorporation into hair, acetaldehyde-protein adducts not tested in human hair, nicotine and cotinine influenced by hair treatments, and fatty acid ethyl esters and minerals not closely linked to pathogenesis (alcoholism or autism). In contrast, ␤-carbolines have the basicity and lipophilicity required for deposition into hair [17], the character to increase in the human body fluids and tissues in association with alcohol ingestion and tobacco smoking [2,[6][7][8][9], and the etiological relevance for neurospychiatric disorders [5,12,13]. BC and MBC would be useful biomarkers for hair analysis.…”

“…These ␤-carbolines and related condensation products show a variety of pharmacological and toxicological effects including neuropsychoactivity, and variations of their in vivo concentrations are associated with pathological states [5,9,10]. They have been considered to play an etiological role in alcoholism and neuropsychiatric disorders [6,[11][12][13].…”

Spectroscopic Identification of Isolated Bioactive Compounds from Methanolic Extract of Psychotria dalzellii leaves

“…The isolated and elucidated compounds show a vital biological activities and the literature survey imparts research interest in this field. Researchers reported that harmaline alkaloid is a biologically active compound 21,22,23 which belongs to sub class of beta-carboline alkaloids 24 . Harmaline is almost twice as toxic as harmine and in moderate doses causes tremors and clonic convulsions but with no increase in spinal reflex excitability 25 .…”