A fluorescence study of the molecular interactions of harmane with the nucleobases, their nucleosides and mononucleotides.

Fluorescence binding studies of harmane to the elemental components of the nucleic acids were undertaken to investigate the origin of the interaction between the drug and DNA. Most of the tested substrates have been found to induce hypochromism in the absorption spectrum of harmane and to quench its fluorescence. The quenching process induced by the nucleobases and their nucleosides is mainly due to the formation of ground state 1:1 complexes. However, in the case of the mononucleotides a dynamic quenching component is also observed. This quenching component is likely due to the excited state interaction of harmane with the phosphate group of the nucleotides. UV-vis spectral changes and quenching measurements have been used to quantify the ground state association constants of the complexes and the quenching rate constants.