| franco 2006-08-12, 4:25 pm |
| I used to eat syrian rue seed extracts (beta-carbolines harmala
alkaloids) and it makes
me feel geat, relieves the anxiety, the dysphoria and make me feel
quite happy and relaxed. Then I started reading medical articles that
the harmala alkaloids may be responsible for the etiology of parkinson.
although earlier studies found that harmala alkaloids may actually
relieve patients from the tremors (the banesterine saga) now more and
more convincing studies point to the fact that it is harmful. I am sad
that I cannot take the harmala anymore for fear of its neurotoxicity.
here is one of the many studies:
Long-term retention of neurotoxic beta-carbolines in brain neuromelanin
A=2E =D6:stergren1, A. Annas1, K. Skog2, N. G. Lindquist1 and E. B.
Brittebo1
(1) Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University,
Uppsala, Sweden
(2) Department of Applied Nutrition and Food Chemistry, Center for
Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lund University, Sweden
Received: 31 July 2003 Accepted: 24 September 2003 Published online:
3 December 2003
Summary. beta-Carbolines show structural resemblance to the neurotoxic
N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine and are metabolized to
mitochondrial toxicants. Humans are continuously exposed to low levels
of beta-carbolines through cooked food, coffee, alcoholic beverages and
tobacco smoke. beta-Carbolines have previously been detected in higher
levels in the pigmented substantia nigra than in the cortex of humans.
The distribution of 3H-labelled harman and norharman in the brain of
pigmented and albino mice and in frogs (a species having neuromelanin)
was studied by tape-section and light-microscopic autoradiography.
Furthermore, the binding of these beta-carbolines to dopamine-melanin
and
melanin granules from Sepia officinalis was examined. The results
revealed a high affinity binding to melanin and a long-term retention
(up to 30 days) in pigmented tissues, including neuromelanin-containing
neurons of frogs after a single injection. The role of long-term
exposure to food-related beta-carbolines and a retention of these
compounds
in pigment-containing neurons in the induction of idiopathic Parkinsons
disease should be further considered.
Keywords: beta-Carbolines, parkinsonism, neuromelanin, harman,
norharman,
Parkinsons disease, dopamine-melanin, Sepia officinalis.
What do you think?
|