alpha-Asarone

Cytochromes P450|||GABA Receptor|||HMG-CoA Reductase

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alpha-Asarone (trans-Asarone) is a psychoactive compound with antidepressant-like activity in mice.

alpha-Asarone is a component of certain essential oils used in traditional Chinese herbal medicine. Although carcinogenic, alpha-asarone has been shown to be neuroprotective and radioprotective in mice when given at 50 mg/kg. It also lowers serum cholesterol in rats, specifically reducing LDL-cholesterol levels and cholesterol saturation index, by directly inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase (IC50 = 3 mM). alpha-Asarone also directly interacts with and inhibits certain isoforms of cytochrome P450 (IC50 = 55.2 and 65.2 ug/ml for CYP2D6 and CYP3A4, respectively).