Tetrahydro-beta-carbolines: affinities for tryptamine and serotonergic binding sites.

The affinities of four tetrahydro-beta-carbolines at [3H]tryptamine, [3H]5-HT (5-HT1), and [3H]spiperone (5-HT2) binding sites in rat cerebral cortex were investigated. The unsubstituted tetrahydro-beta-carboline was the most potent of the four compounds at all three binding sites, but was 200-400 times more potent at the tryptamine site than at either of the serotonin sites.