Spectroscopic behavior of bufotenine and bufotenine N-oxide: Solvent and pH effects and interaction with biomembrane models.
Biochimica et biophysica acta. Biomembranes April 1, 2024 Gustavo Almeida E Silva, Vinícius Galvão Wakui, Lucília Kato et al. 2 citations
Bufotenine and bufotenine N-oxide, two fluorescent analogs of the psychedelic compound DMT, show changes in their light absorption and emission depending on the acidity (pH) and the type of solvent they are in. In experiments with models of biological membranes, such as micelles and liposomes, both molecules interact with pre-micellar structures and with micelles, as indicated by shifts in their fluorescence spectra. Steady-state anisotropy measurements reveal that both molecules associate with liposomes without altering the fluidity of the lipid bilayer. These spectroscopic properties may aid in designing new pharmacologically active compounds inspired by bufotenine and in using these molecules as markers for psychiatric disorders.