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Several alkaloids that function as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are found in the seeds of ''Peganum harmala'' (also known as ''Harmal'' or ''Syrian Rue''), as well as tobacco leaves including harmine, harmaline, and harmalol, which are members of a group of substances with a similar chemical structure collectively known as ''harmala alkaloids''. These alkaloids are of interest for their use in Amazonian shamanism, where they are derived from other plants. The harmala alkaloid harmine, once known as telepathine and banisterine, is a naturally occurring beta-carboline alkaloid that is structurally related to harmaline, and also found in the vine ''Banisteriopsis caapi''. Tetrahydroharmine is also found in ''B. caapi'' and ''P. harmala''. Dr. Alexander Shulgin has suggested that harmine may be a breakdown product of harmaline.〔http://www.erowid.org/library/books_online/tihkal/tihkal13.shtml〕 Harmine and harmaline are reversible MAOIs of the MAO-A isoform of the enzyme, and can stimulate the central nervous system by inhibiting the metabolism of monoamine compounds such as serotonin and norepinephrine. The harmala alkaloids occur in ''Peganum harmala'' in concentrations of roughly 3%, though tests have documented anywhere from 2-7% or even higher, as natural sources tend to vary widely in chemical makeup. Harmala alkaloids are also found in the ''Banisteriopsis caapi'' vine, the key plant ingredient in the sacramental beverage Ayahuasca, in concentrations that range between 0.31-8.43% for harmine, 0.03-0.83% for harmaline and 0.05-2.94% for tetrahydroharmine.〔Callaway JC, Brito GS & Neves ES (2005). Phytochemical analyses of Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 37(2): 145-150.〕 Although other psychoactive plants are occasionally added to Ayahuasca to achieve visionary states of consciousness, the recipes vary greatly and no single combination is common. Peganum harmala, normally consumed as a tea or used as an incense, is mentioned in classical Persian literature both as a sacred sacrament and as a medicine. The harmala alkaloids are not especially psychedelic, even at higher dosages, when hypnagogic visions, alongside vomiting and diarrhea, become the main effect. Harmala alkaloids are also found in many other plants, such as passion flower. The leaves of ''P. incarnata'' have been reported variously to give 0.005%, 0.12 mg%, and nil, of harman alkaloids.〔Kamaldeep Dhawan, Sanju Dhawan, Anupam Sharma, Passiflora: a review update, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Volume 94, Issue 1, September 2004, Pages 1-23, ISSN 0378-8741, 10.1016/j.jep.2004.02.023.〕 == Telepathine == Telepathine was originally thought to be the active chemical constituent of ''Banisteriopsis caapi'', a key plant ingredient in the preparation of ayahuasca; a sacramental beverage from the Amazon. This isolated chemical was so named because of the reported effects of Ayahuasca among the indigenous users, including: collective contact with and/or visions of jaguars, snakes, and jeweled birds, and ancestral spirits; the ability to see future events; and as the name suggests, telepathic communication among tribal members. It was assumed to be a newly discovered chemical at the time, however, it was soon realized that Telepathine was already more widely known as "harmine" from its previous discovery in ''Peganum harmala'' (Syrian Rue). 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Harmala alkaloid」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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