Effects of salvinorin A on locomotor sensitization to D2/D3 dopamine agonist quinpirole.
Neuroscience letters December 3, 2008 Pieter Beerepoot, Vincent Lam, Alice Luu et al.
The kappa opioid receptor agonist salvinorin A, the active compound in Salvia divinorum, can either increase or decrease locomotor sensitization caused by the dopamine agonist quinpirole, depending on dose. Rats received biweekly injections of quinpirole plus salvinorin A (0.04, 0.4, or 2.0 mg/kg) or the synthetic kappa agonist U69593 (0.3 mg/kg) for ten sessions. The highest salvinorin A dose and U69593 both potentiated sensitization; the middle dose had no effect; the lowest dose attenuated it. Structural differences between salvinorin A and U69593 do not affect potentiation, and salvinorin A can bidirectionally modulate dopamine agonist sensitization.