Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 9, 2026

DMCM

DMCM is a drug from the β-carboline family that induces anxiety and convulsions by acting as a negative allosteric modulator of GABAA receptors — functionally opposite to benzodiazepines and related drugs which are positive allosteric modulators — and is used in scientific research for these properties to test new anxiolytic and anticonvulsant medications, respectively. It has also been shown to produce analgesic effects in animals, which is thought to be the drug's induced panic reducing the perception of pain.

Last revised
Jun 9, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
355 w
Citations
5
Source
Wikipedia ↗
DMCM
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Names
Preferred IUPAC name
Methyl 4-ethyl-6,7-dimethoxy-9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole-3-carboxylate
Other names
DMCM
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.220.168
UNII
  • InChI=1S/C17H18N2O4/c1-5-9-15-10-6-13(21-2)14(22-3)7-11(10)19-12(15)8-18-16(9)17(20)23-4/h6-8,19H,5H2,1-4H3 ☒N
    Key: GADIKQPUNWAMEB-UHFFFAOYSA-N ☒N
  • CCC1=C2C3=CC(=C(C=C3NC2=CN=C1C(=O)OC)OC)OC
Properties
C17H18N2O4
Molar mass 314.336 g/mol
Boiling point 87 °C (189 °F; 360 K)
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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DMCM (methyl 6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-β-carboline-3-carboxylate) is a drug from the β-carboline family that induces anxiety and convulsions by acting as a negative allosteric modulator of GABAA receptors — functionally opposite to benzodiazepines and related drugs which are positive allosteric modulators — and is used in scientific research for these properties to test new anxiolytic and anticonvulsant medications, respectively.1234 It has also been shown to produce analgesic effects in animals, which is thought to be the drug's induced panic reducing the perception of pain.5

See also

See also

References

References

  1. Cole, BJ; Hillmann, M; Seidelmann, D; Klewer, M; Jones, GH (1995). "Effects of benzodiazepine receptor partial inverse agonists in the elevated plus maze test of anxiety in the rat". Psychopharmacology. 121 (1): 118–26. doi:10.1007/BF02245598. PMID 8539336. S2CID 25423119.
  2. Brodie, MJ (1995). "Tiagabine pharmacology in profile". Epilepsia. 36 (Suppl 6): S7–S9. doi:10.1111/j.1528-1157.1995.tb06015.x. PMID 8595791. S2CID 27336198.
  3. De Sarro, G; Chimirri, A; McKernan, R; Quirk, K; Giusti, P; De Sarro, A (1997). "Anticonvulsant activity of azirino[1,2-d][1,4]benzodiazepines and related 1,4-benzodiazepines in mice". Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior. 58 (1): 281–9. doi:10.1016/S0091-3057(96)00565-5. PMID 9264104. S2CID 24492818.
  4. Leppä, E; Vekovischeva, OY; Lindén, AM; Wulff, P; Oberto, A; Wisden, W; Korpi, ER (2005). "Agonistic effects of the β-carboline DMCM revealed in GABAA receptor γ2 subunit F77I point-mutated mice". Neuropharmacology. 48 (4): 469–78. doi:10.1016/j.neuropharm.2004.11.007. PMID 15755475. S2CID 54340687.
  5. Sieve, AN; King, TE; Ferguson, AR; Grau, JW; Meagher, MW (2001). "Pain and negative affect: evidence the inverse benzodiazepine agonist DMCM inhibits pain and learning in rats". Psychopharmacology. 153 (2): 180–90. doi:10.1007/s002130000535. PMID 11205417. S2CID 2591731.