Dimethyltryptamine/β-carbolines

Dimethyltryptamine/β-carbolines
Harmaline (left) and tetrahydroharmine (right)
Combination of
DimethyltryptamineSerotonergic psychedelic; Serotonin receptor agonist
HarmineRIMATooltip Reversible inhibitor of MAO-A
HarmalineRIMATooltip Reversible inhibitor of MAO-A
TetrahydroharmineRIMATooltip Reversible inhibitor of MAO-A
Clinical data
Other namesDMT/β-carboline; DMT/beta-carbolines; DMT/beta-carboline; DMT/harmine/harmaline/THH

Dimethyltryptamine/β-carbolines, also known as DMT/harmine/harmaline/THH, is a combination of dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a tryptamine serotonin receptor agonist and serotonergic psychedelic, and the β-carbolines and reversible inhibitors of MAO-A (RIMAs) harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmine (THH), which is under development for potential medical use.[1][2]

It is a form of pharmahuasca (pharmaceutical ayahuasca), in which DMT is combined with synthetically produced monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) as opposed to a plant-derived form such as Banisteriopsis caapi as in ayahuasca.[3] The β-carbolines, acting as RIMAs, inhibit the metabolism of DMT, in turn greatly potentiating DMT and allowing it to become orally active.[4][5][6]

The combination is being developed by Psychae Therapeutics.[2] As of 2025, it is in phase 1 clinical trials.[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ Bonomo YA, Norman AF, Collins L, Ross M, Dwyer J, Perkins D, et al. (2025). "DMT and harmala alkaloids: an exploratory study of oral Acacia based formulations in healthy volunteers". Frontiers in Psychiatry. 16 1545915. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1545915. PMC 12395344. PMID 40896210. 4 Psychae Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia [...] Funding: The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research and/or publication of this article. This study was fully funded via by Psychae Institute and Psychae Therapeutics (now known as Neurala Biosciences). [...] Conflict of interest: JS and DP are Directors of Psychae Therapeutics rebranded as Neurala Biosciences and the connected not-for-profit Psychae Institute, which are both involved with psychedelics research and the development of these agents as registered medicines. They are employed and hold equity with Psychae Therapeutics.
  2. ^ a b c "Psychedelics Drug Development Tracker". Psychedelic Alpha. Archived from the original on 2 August 2025.
  3. ^ Brierley DI, Davidson C (December 2012). "Developments in harmine pharmacology--implications for ayahuasca use and drug-dependence treatment". Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry. 39 (2): 263–272. doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2012.06.001. PMID 22691716.
  4. ^ Dos Santos RG, Hallak JE (November 2024). "Ayahuasca: pharmacology, safety, and therapeutic effects". CNS Spectrums. 30 (1) e2. doi:10.1017/S109285292400213X. PMID 39564645.
  5. ^ Egger K, Aicher HD, Cumming P, Scheidegger M (September 2024). "Neurobiological research on N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and its potentiation by monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibition: from ayahuasca to synthetic combinations of DMT and MAO inhibitors". Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. 81 (1) 395. doi:10.1007/s00018-024-05353-6. PMC 11387584. PMID 39254764.
  6. ^ Berlowitz I, Egger K, Cumming P (2022). "Monoamine Oxidase Inhibition by Plant-Derived β-Carbolines; Implications for the Psychopharmacology of Tobacco and Ayahuasca". Frontiers in Pharmacology. 13 886408. doi:10.3389/fphar.2022.886408. PMC 9121195. PMID 35600851.