The hallucinogen derived from Salvia divinorum, salvinorin A, has kappa-opioid agonist discriminative stimulus effects in rats.
Neuropharmacology September 1, 2007 Catherine B Willmore-Fordham, Daniel M Krall, Christopher R Mccurdy et al. 49 citations
Salvinorin A, a plant-derived hallucinogen, acts through the kappa-opioid receptor system, producing effects such as pain relief, sedation, dysphoria, and distorted perceptions. In experiments with male rats trained to recognize a known kappa-opioid agonist, salvinorin A fully substituted for that agonist at three different doses without altering response rates. A kappa-selective antagonist blocked this substitution, confirming the receptor mechanism. These findings support salvinorin A's potential for therapeutic developments, including pain relief, while also raising public concern about its misuse.