Recent pharmacological developments in β-carboline alkaloid 'harmaline'

Peganum harmala (L) is a perennial plant which is native of eastern Iranian and west of India but also found in different regions of western USA. A number of β-carboline compounds with therapeutic importance and different pharmacological effects, are present in this plant. Among other alkaloids, such as, harmine, harmalol and vasicine, isolated from various parts of the plant, harmaline is considered as most valuable with reference to its medicinal importance. Harmaline has been extensively studied in last decade and known to exert multiple pharmacological effects including antileishmanial, antimicrobial, antiplatelet, antiplasmodial, antitumoral, hypothermic and vasorelaxant activity. The proposed work is intended to highlight the recent pharmacological aspects of β-carboline alkaloid "harmaline".