Identification of harman in the rat arcuate nucleus

This communication describes the presence of 1-methyl-β-carboline (harman) in the hypophysiotropic area of the hypothalamus which incorporates the arcuate nucleus. Diethyl ether extracts of boratebuffered arcuate homogenates were subjected to silica column chromatography and thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Identification of the β-carboline was accomplished by use of fluorescent spectrometry, gas chromatography (GC), mass spectrometry (MS) and combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).