c‐Fos Responses Produced by the Central Microinjection of Salvinorin A in Conscious Rats
The FASEB Journal April 1, 2019 Aboozar Ali, Cynthia Franklin, Yolanda Rangel et al.
Salvinorin A, a plant-derived kappa opioid receptor agonist, decreased c-fos expression in several forebrain regions of rats, particularly the parvocellular paraventricular nucleus (PVN), where the reduction was statistically significant. However, compared to saline, SalA only increased c-fos expression in the median pre-optic nucleus. The diuretic effects of SalA were less potent than those of synthetic kappa opioid agonists, consistent with previous findings that SalA produces a small increase in urine excretion rate. These results suggest that kappa opioid receptor agonists may influence diuresis through changes in c-fos expression in the PVN and lamina terminalis.