Pimprinine is an alkaloid originally isolated from Streptomyces that has diverse biological activities, including anticonvulsant, antiplatelet, and antimicrobial properties. It inhibits deamination of serotonin by monoamine oxidase (MAO; IC50 = 48 μM). Pimprinine (80 mg/kg) increases the minimum and maximum electroshock seizure thresholds in mice. In a mouse model of tremorine-induced tremors, it increases the latency to tremor onset, as well as reduces the intensity and duration of tremors and the analgesic activity of tremorine when administered at a dose of 80 mg/kg. Pimprinine inhibits aggregation of rabbit platelets induced by arachidonic acid or collagen (IC50s = 3 and 25 μg/ml, respectively) and arachidonic acid-induced thromboxane A2 (TXA2) synthesis in rabbit platelets in vitro (IC50 = 6 μg/ml). It also inhibits the growth of M. tuberculosis, P. varioti, C. albicans, and S. lutea in vitro (MICs = 25, 1, 1.5, and 2.5 μg/ml, respectively).
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