Deoxypeganine alkaloid isolated from Peganum harmala L. is well known as a reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. Further investigations showed its effectiveness in treatment of drug and nicotinic addictions and alcoholism, Alzheimer dementia, clinic depression, schizophrenia and chronic fatigue, poisoning by psychotrops. In the present investigation we revealed the neuroprotective activity of deoxypeganine and two its amino derivatives on two animal models. In the first series of experiments deoxypeganine and its derivatives were injected to mice intraperitoneally, in 15 minutes nicotine-base introduced subcutaneously, in 30 minutes the animals were placed in the central compartment of 12-compartement maze, and their exploratory activity effectiveness monitored. In the second series of experiments we used atropine sulfate instead of nicotine. The test proceeding was the same. Both amino derivatives were more potent in mice cognitive functions improvement than deoxypeganine and galantamine that indicates the necessity of their further investigation. Experiments in analgesic activity assessment in acetic writhing and hot plate tests have shown the lack of antinociceptive responses to pain in the centrally mediated analgesia (hot plate) test for deoxypeganine and its derivatives, while galantamine shown relatively high analgesia. In the acetic writhing test deoxypeganine and its derivatives were potent, but in a less extent than galantamine. Relatively high analgesic effect of galantamine may possibly be attributed to the involvement of “hypophysis - glucocorticoids” axis. Anti-inflammatory effects of all investigated derivatives in formalin rat test were low, although their ability to shorten the recovery period in inflammation attracts the special attention and needs further investigation.

Deoxypeganine, 6-Aminodeoxypeganine, 6,8-Diaminodeoxypeganine, Cognitive Functions, Analgesic, Anti-Inflammatory