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Antileishmanial activity of harmaline and other tryptamine derivatives
Author(s) -
Evans A. Tudor,
Croft Simon L.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
phytotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.019
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1573
pISSN - 0951-418X
DOI - 10.1002/ptr.2650010106
Subject(s) - harmaline , tryptamine , antiparasitic , pharmacology , in vivo , in vitro , chemistry , leishmania , medicine , biology , biochemistry , parasite hosting , world wide web , computer science , microbiology and biotechnology , pathology
Tryptamine derivatives harmaline and α‐ethyltryptamine were found to possess a novel antiparasitic action against human pathogen Leishmania mexicana amazonensis both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro , harmaline was the most potent compound tested, with an ED 50 of 99μ, whilst α‐ethyltryptamine (ED 50 149 μ) had the best therapeutic index (2). In vivo , α‐ethyltryptamine was most effective when given orally (ED 50 47 mg/kg), but was also effective when given topically. We suggest that further investigation of traditional plant drugs containing derivatives of β‐carbolines and alkyltryptamines would provide a number of novel antiparasitic drugs.