Harmane
Harmane (harman) is a heterocyclic amine and β-carboline found in a variety of foods including coffee, sauces, and cooked meat. It is also present in tobacco smoke. Harmane is related to other alkaloids, harmine and harmaline, found in 1837 in the plant ''Peganum harmala''. The name derives from the Arabic word for the plant, (). In humans, harmane is a potent tremor-producing neurotoxin. Harmane has been found to inhibit the early stages of the growth of the malaria parasite in the gut of mosquitoes infected by the bacterium '' Delftia tsuruhatensis'', and can be absorbed by the mosquitoes upon contact. Pharmacology Harmane fails to substitute for the psychedelic drug DOM in rodent drug discrimination tests. This is similar to the case of harmine but is in contrast to harmaline and 6-methoxyharmalan. Chemistry Harmane is a methylated derivative of β-carboline with the molecular formula C12H10N2. Natural occurrence In 1962, Poindexter ''et al.'' found that there ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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6-methoxyharmalan
6-Methoxyharmalan, or 6-methoxyharmalane, also known as 6-methoxy-1-methyl-3,4-dihydro-β-carboline, is a naturally occurring serotonin receptor modulator, monoamine oxidase inhibitor, and hallucinogen of the β-carboline family related to harmaline (7-methoxyharmalan). It is a cyclized tryptamine and analogue of 5-MeO-DMT and melatonin (''N''-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine). The compound has been isolated from '' Virola'' species. Use and effects 6-Methoxyharmalan has been reported to be hallucinogenic in humans at a dose of 1.5mg/kg (~100mg) orally, with slightly (1.5-fold) greater potency than harmaline. Its onset of action via oral administration is about 1hour. The drug also produces hallucinogenic effects at a dose of 1mg/kg intravenously and with a near-immediate onset by this route. Its hallucinogenic effects are described as similar to those of harmaline. The hallucinogenic effects of β-carbolines like harmaline and 6-methoxyharmalan have been described as qualitatively ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Heterocyclic Amine
Heterocyclic amines, also sometimes referred to as HCAs, are chemical compounds containing at least one heterocyclic ring, which by definition has atoms of at least two different elements, as well as at least one amine (nitrogen-containing) group. Typically it is a nitrogen atom of an amine group that also makes the ring heterocyclic (e.g., pyridine), though compounds exist in which this is not the case (e.g., the drug zileuton). The biological functions of heterocyclic amines vary, including vitamins and carcinogens. Carcinogenic heterocyclic amines are created by high temperature cooking of meat and smoking of plant matter like tobacco. Some well known heterocyclic amines are niacin (vitamin B3), nicotine (psychoactive alkaloid and recreational drug), and the nucleobases that encode genetic information in DNA. Five-membered heterocyclic amines The compound pyrrolidine is composed of molecules that contain a saturated ring of five atoms. This cyclic structure is composed of o ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Substituted β-carboline
A substituted β-carboline is a chemical compound featuring a β-carboline moiety (chemistry), moiety with one or more chemical substituent, substitutions. β-Carbolines include more than one hundred alkaloids and synthetic compounds. The effects of these substances depend on their respective substituent. Natural β-carbolines primarily influence brain functions but can also exhibit antioxidant effects. Synthetically designed β-carboline Derivative (chemistry), derivatives have recently been shown to have Neuroprotection, neuroprotective, Neuroenhancement, cognitive enhancing and anti-cancer properties. β-Carbolines are indole alkaloids featuring a fused pyridine and indole ring structure similar to tryptamine, forming a three-ringed system with variable saturation in the third ring. β-Carboline alkaloids naturally occur widely in prokaryotes, plants, animals, certain marine tunicates, and foods like coffee and smoked meats, and are also responsible for the fluorescence of sco ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Coffee
Coffee is a beverage brewed from roasted, ground coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content, but decaffeinated coffee is also commercially available. There are also various coffee substitutes. Typically served hot, coffee has the highest sales in the world market for hot drinks. Coffee production begins when the seeds from coffee cherries (the '' Coffea'' plant's fruits) are separated to produce unroasted green coffee beans. The "beans" are roasted and then ground into fine particles. Coffee is brewed from the ground roasted beans, which are typically steeped in hot water before being filtered out. It is usually served hot, although chilled or iced coffee is common. Coffee can be prepared and presented in a variety of ways (e.g., espresso, French press, caffè latte, or already-brewed canned coffee). Sugar, sugar substitutes, milk, and cream are often added to mask ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tobacco Smoking
Tobacco smoking is the practice of burning tobacco and ingesting the resulting smoke. The smoke may be inhaled, as is done with cigarettes, or released from the mouth, as is generally done with pipes and cigars. The practice is believed to have begun as early as 5000–3000 BC in Mesoamerica and South America. Tobacco was introduced to Eurasia in the late 17th century by European colonists, where it followed common trade routes. The practice encountered criticism from its first import into the Western world onward but embedded itself in certain strata of several societies before becoming widespread upon the introduction of automated cigarette-rolling apparatus. Smoking is the most common method of consuming tobacco, and tobacco is the most common substance smoked. The agricultural product is often mixed with additives and then combusted. The resulting smoke, which contains various active substances, the most significant of which is the addictive psychostimulant drug nicotine ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Harmaline
Harmaline, also known as 7-methoxyharmalan or as 3,4-dihydro-7-methoxy-1-methyl-β-carboline, is a fluorescent indole alkaloid from the group of harmala alkaloids and β-carbolines. It is the partly hydrogenated form of harmine. It is a reversible monoamine oxidase inhibitor (RIMA). It produces vivid dream-like visual effects and physical discomfort at oral doses of 300 to 400mg, often leading users to seek solitude in a quiet, dark environment. Plants containing harmaline are combined in ayahuasca to inhibit monoamine oxidase, allowing orally ingested DMT to remain active in the brain and produce psychoactive effects. Harmala alkaloids, including harmaline, are psychoactive on their own in humans, with harmaline being particularly hallucinogenic, although other compounds such as harmine and tetrahydroharmine have also been reported to produce hallucinogenic effects as well. Harmaline exhibits weak affinity for 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors, partially substitutes for the ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Delftia Tsuruhatensis
''Delftia tsuruhatensis'' is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, catalase- and oxidase-positive, motile bacterium from the Comamonadaceae family. It was first isolated from a wastewater treatment plant in Japan in 2003. ''D. tsuruhatensis'' is an opportunistic and emergent pathogen. All documented human infections are healthcare-associated. Biology and biochemistry Cells are slightly curved, short rod-shaped cells that occur singly or in pairs. Cells are 0.7–1.2 μm wide and 2.4–4.0 μm long. ''D. tsuruhatensis'' can degrade phenolic compounds and aniline, which are often pollutants of soil and water. Biofilm interactions ''D. tsuruhatensis'' can inhibit quorum sensing and biofilm formation, which could inform new therapeutic drugs against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. ''D. tsuruhatensis'' inhibits quorum sensing and suppresses biofilm formation against ''Pseudomonas aeruginosa'' and other pathogens. These activities increase ''P. aeruginosa''s susceptibility to antibiotics by ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Derivative (chemistry)
In chemistry, a derivative is a compound that is derived from a similar compound by a chemical reaction. In the past, derivative also meant a compound that ''can be imagined to'' arise from another compound, if one atom or group of atoms is replaced with another atom or group of atoms, but modern chemical language now uses the term structural analog for this meaning, thus eliminating ambiguity. The term "structural analogue" is common in organic chemistry. In biochemistry, the word is used for compounds that at least theoretically can be formed from the precursor compound. Chemical derivatives may be used to facilitate analysis. For example, melting point (MP) analysis can assist in identification of many organic compounds. A crystalline derivative may be prepared, such as a semicarbazone or 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone (derived from aldehydes or ketones), as a simple way of verifying the identity of the original compound, assuming that a table of derivative MP values is avai ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Harmine
Harmine is a β-carboline and a harmala alkaloid. It occurs in a number of different plants, most notably ''Peganum harmala'' and ''Banisteriopsis caapi''. Harmine reversibly inhibits monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A), an enzyme which breaks down monoamines, making it a reversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase A (RIMA). Harmine does not inhibit MAO-B. Harmine is also known as banisterin, banisterine, telopathin, telepathine, leucoharmine and yagin, yageine. The biosynthesis of harmine likely begins with L-tryptophan, which is decarboxylated to tryptamine—an intermediate also used in serotonin synthesis—before undergoing a series of reactions to form harmine, with feeding experiments supporting tryptamine’s role as an intermediate rather than a primary precursor. It is essential for enabling the oral activity of DMT in ayahuasca and is also used as a fluorescent pH indicator and in PET imaging to study MAO-A-related brain disorders. Pharmaceutical-grade harmine hydrochloride i ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tryptophan
Tryptophan (symbol Trp or W) is an α-amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. Tryptophan contains an α-amino group, an α-carboxylic acid group, and a side chain indole, making it a polar molecule with a non-polar aromatic beta carbon substituent. Tryptophan is also a precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin, the hormone melatonin, and vitamin B3 (niacin). It is encoded by the codon UGG. Like other amino acids, tryptophan is a zwitterion at physiological pH where the amino group is protonated (–; pKa = 9.39) and the carboxylic acid is deprotonated ( –COO−; pKa = 2.38). Humans and many animals cannot synthesize tryptophan: they need to obtain it through their diet, making it an essential amino acid. Tryptophan is named after the digestive enzymes trypsin, which were used in its first isolation from casein proteins. It was assigned the one-letter symbol W based on the double ring being visually suggestive to the bulky letter. Function ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |