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Antibacterial activity of 1-methyl-7-methoxy-beta-carboline and its phenacyl and coumarine analogues
Z S Saify1, Jawaid Farhad, Nousheen Mushtaq
1Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270.
Abstract:
Antibacterial activity of 1-methyl-7-methoxy-beta-carboline (harmaline) and its phenacyl and coumarine analogues 1-(3-nitro-phenyl)-(2-(7-methoxy-1-methyl-1,3,4,9-tetrahydro-beta-carbolin-2-yl)-ethanone (II), 1-(3,4-dihydroxy-phenyl)-2-(7-methoxy-1-methyl-1,3,4,9-tetrahydro-beta-carbolin-2-yl)-ethanone (III) 7-(methoxy-beta-carboline),15-24,de-hydro(19,20-dimethoxy)coumarine (IV), 7-(methoxy-beta-carboline)15-24,dehydro(20-methoxy)coumarine (V) were studied by disc diffusion method. All compounds were tested against three gram positive and four gram-negative bacteria. Parent compound showed good activity. All compounds revealed better results against gram positive as compared to gram-negative bacteria. 1-(3,4-Dihydroxy-phenyl)-2-(7-methoxy-1-methyl-1,3,4,9-tetrahydro-beta-carbolin-2-yl)-ethanone (III) was found most potent compound showing broad spectrum activity when compared with all synthesized analogues. Coumarine analogues showed more or less same activity indicating that number and position of methoxy groups are not important regarding antimicrobial activity.
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