β-Carboline, also known as norharman, norharmane, or 9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole, is a tricyclic chemical compound and alkaloid. It is the parent structure of the substituted β-carbolines, a large group of alkaloids and synthetic compounds. β-Carboline may be thought of as a cyclized tryptamine. The compound has been found to possess a variety of pharmacological activities, including DNA mutagenic effects, imidazoline receptor interactions, serotonin reuptake inhibition, monoamine oxidase inhibition, cytochrome P450 enzyme inhibition, and inhibition of other enzymes, among others.
β-Carboline is a weak reversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase A (RIMA), with an of 1,700nM. It is also a weak dopamine reuptake inhibitor (DRI), with an of 3,040nM at the dopamine transporter (DAT). The drug shows weak affinity for the serotonin 5-HT2B and 5-HT2C receptors (Ki = 738nM and 2,522nM, respectively), but not for the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor (Ki = >10,000nM).
See also Substituted β-carboline Tryptoline γ-Carboline
References
External links β-Carboline - Isomer Design