Thymoquinone/harmaline and related reaction products

A composition of matter comprising a compound of the structure, and the derivatives, solvates, prodrugs, isomers, tautomers, esters, metal complexes, and salts thereof:

• where the six-membered A ring is either phenyl or cyclohexadiene, R1 is a C1-C4 alkyl group, R2 is H or a C1-C4 alkyl group, R3 and R4 are independently either —OH or ═O, and the dotted bond line refers to the fact that the bond between the 1 position on the A ring and the intermediate CH2 or CH group of the linker between the A ring and the six-membered, N-containing pyridyl ring may be either a single bond or a double bond.

A composition of matter comprising a compound of the structure, and the derivatives, solvates, prodrugs, isomers, tautomers, esters, metal complexes, and salts thereof:

• where each six-membered A ring is independently either phenyl or cyclohexadiene, each R1 is independently a C1-C4 alkyl group, each R2 is independently H or a C1-C4 alkyl group, each R3 and R4 are independently either —OH or ═O, and each dotted bond line refers to the fact that the bond between the 1 position on the A ring and the intermediate CH2 or CH group of the linker between the A ring and the six-membered, N-containing pyridyl ring may be either a single bond or a double bond, and wherein the A rings may be the same of different.

A method of preparing a composition comprising the steps of mixing together thymoquinone and a β-carboline compound in a non-interfering solvent, allowing the reaction to occur, and recovering the reaction product of the reaction.