β-Carbolines in Experiments on Laboratory Animals

Abstract

Some studies have ascribed a protective effect against neurodegenerative diseases to the β-carbolines harman (H) and norharman (NH), which occur mostly in coffee and coffee substitutes. We determined the concentrations of β-carbolines and undesirable compounds (such as acrylamide) in roasted coffee substitute ingredients and found that chicory coffee was optimal. Two in vivo experiments were conducted with seventeen-month-old male Sprague Dawley rats fed a diet with the addition of pure carboline standards in the first stage, and chicory in the second. We observed an increase in the level of H and NH in blood plasma, as well as higher activity of animals in the battery behavioral test, particularly in the second stage. The results of in vitro studies—particularly the level of the expression in brain tissue of genes associated with aging processes and neurodegenerative diseases—clearly show the benefits of a diet rich in β-carbolines.

Implications of Oxidative Stress in Glioblastoma Multiforme Following Treatment with Purine Derivatives

“…Furthermore, our results indicate that the upregulation of NF-KB is not only crucial for GBM cells to stimulate cell proliferation [107] but also as a part of the antioxidant defense system. KR and 7-deazaKR also influenced the activation of the cellular welfare indicators such as SIRT2, PARP1, TNFA, and p53; however, both compounds decreased the expression level of PGC-1a, which is a crucial regulator of mitochondrial energy metabolism [108] and a modulator of mitochondrial biogenesis [109]. Cho et al, also indicated that PGC-1a is correlated with mitochondrial dysfunction in GBM, which may lead to tumor progression; thus, its decreased expression due to treatment with KR and 7-deazaKR is a desirable effect.…”

Anticancer Potential of β‐Carboline Alkaloids: An Updated Mechanistic Overview

“…[58] While there is limited specific data available on the bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of all β-carbolines, studies on certain compounds provide insights into their behavior in the body. [58] One study investigated the pharmacokinetics of harmine, a well-known βcarboline compound, in rats. [59] The study reported that after oral administration, harmine was rapidly absorbed, with peak plasma concentrations achieved within one hour.…”

Antiaging Effect of 4-N-Furfurylcytosine in Yeast Model Manifests through Enhancement of Mitochondrial Activity and ROS Reduction

“…Random hexamer primers were used for cDNA synthesis. Real-time PCR analysis was performed as described [5]. The expression levels of CCS1 (Saccharomyces Genome Database, SGD ID: S000004641), ECL1 (SGD ID: S000003378), FOB1 (SGD ID: S000002517), GTR1 (SGD ID: S000004590), HAP4 (SGD ID: S000001592), RIM15 (SGD ID: S000001861), SCH9 (SGD ID: S000001248), and SOD2 (SGD ID: S000001050) genes were determined.…”

“…Low-molecular-weight compounds represent a substantial group of bioactive chemicals, which are widely used, for example, in anticancer therapies [1], the treatment of autoimmune, inflammatory, and related diseases [2][3][4], and the management of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's [5][6][7] and Alzheimer's [8] disease. Their biological effect is mainly attributed to their antioxidant activity [3].…”