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Harmane (harman) is a heterocyclic amine found in a variety of foods including coffee, sauces, and cooked meat. It is also present in tobacco smoke.
Contents
Chemistry
Harmane is a methylated derivative of β-carboline with the molecular formula C12H10N2.
Biological effects
Harmane is a neurotoxin that is strongly associated with essential tremor, one of the most common neurological diseases in the elderly.
Additionally, harmane is a monoamine oxidase inhibitor and believed to be the main endogenous ligand for the benzodiazepine receptor.
References
Harmane Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA