Investigation of the Affinities of Two New b-Carbolines for Rat Brain Imidazoline2 Receptors

The beta-carbolines are possible endogenous ligands and modulators of the imidazoline binding sites (I-BSs). Relatively little is known about this class of compound and its interaction with the I-BS. Presented here are the binding data for two aryl ring substituted dihydro-beta-carbolines at the imidazoline(2) binding site (I-2-BS) and alpha(2)-adrenoceptor: BG-326 (5-bromo-4,9-dihydro-3H-beta-carboline) and BG-350 (5-methoxy-4,9-dihydro-3H-beta-carboline). Both compounds show good affinity and selectivity for the I-2-BS.