Definition: Alkaloid isolated from seeds of Peganum harmala L., Zygophyllaceae. It is identical to banisterine, or telepathine, from Banisteria caapi and is one of the active ingredients of hallucinogenic drinks made in the western Amazon region from related plants. It has no therapeutic use, but (as banisterine) was hailed as a cure for postencephalitic Parkinson disease in the 1920's.
do not confuse with HARMIDINE or HARMALINE
Other names Yageine; Telepathine; Leucoharmine; Banisterine
Biochem Biophys Res Commun 79(4):1167;1977; Cancer Res 38(12):4527;1978; FEBS Lett 1980;109(2):1209; J Nat Prod 38(2):125;1975; Nucleic Acids Res 4(11):3679;1977; Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 75(2):928;1978
