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Beta-carbolines are a class of indole alkaloids compounds comprised of the tricyclic pyrido (3,4) indol ring system with alkyl C1 constituents.
![smoke](smoke_s.jpg)
This group of indole alkaloids are of widespread distribution being found in 23 angiosperm plant families, 3 fungi genera, and in a variety of animal tissues[1]. In addition, beta-carbolines can be found in tobacco smoke [2], marijuana smoke [3], and in charred food stuffs [4].
The beta-carbolines do not represent a significant poisoning hazard to livestock due to their very low concentrations. None-the-less, these toxicants are interesting from a chemical perspective in terms of structure-activity relationships. Some of their more interesting aspects are as follows:
- ETHNOBOTANY: AYAHUASCA
- NEUROPHARMACOLOGY: BETA-CARBOLINES, SEROTONIN AND BRAIN CHEMISTRY
- BETA-CARBOLINE CONTAINING PLANTS
- REFERENCES