Harman in Alcoholic Beverages: Pharmacological and Toxicological Implications

Abstract

Harman, a β-carboline compound, was identified and quantitated in beer and wine samples using a combination of high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection and gas chromatography-negative chemical ionization mass spectrometry. The concentration of harman in beer (7.3–140.0 ng/ml) was greater than in wine (0.8–10.5 ng/ml) and was not related to alcohol content. The pharmacological and toxicological implications of harman in alcoholic beverages are discussed.