3-Hydroxymethyl-β-carboline

3-Hydroxymethyl-β-carboline is a polyaromatic small molecule that demonstrates antagonism of the effects of benzodiazepine binding activity. 3-Hydroxymethyl-beta-carboline antagonizes the anxiolytic and anticonvulsant actions of benzodiazepines, a property common to other 3-substitued carboline compounds including the inverse agonist Ethyl β-carboline-3-carboxylate. The sedative effects of the benzodiazepines are antagonized by 3-Hydroxymethyl-beta-carboline at a dose sufficiently low to have no intrinsic effect on sleep. Higher doses of 3-Hydroxymethyl-β-carboline were shown to increase wakefulness and sleep latency, suggesting that an effect inverse to benzodiazepine sedation is presented by 3-Hydroxymethyl-beta-carboline activity.