Antagonism of alpha 3 beta 4 nicotinic receptors as a strategy to reduce opioid and stimulant self-administration.
European journal of pharmacology March 1, 2002 Stanley D Glick, Isabelle M Maisonneuve, Barbara A Kitchen et al. 120 citations
Ibogaine and a related compound, 18-methoxycoronaridine, block alpha 3 beta 4 nicotinic receptors in the brain, with 18-methoxycoronaridine being more selective for these receptors than ibogaine. Low doses of combinations of 18-methoxycoronaridine with mecamylamine or dextromethorphan, or mecamylamine with dextromethorphan, reduced morphine and methamphetamine self-administration in studies, even though each drug alone at those doses was ineffective. The findings suggest that blocking alpha 3 beta 4 receptors may help reduce drug-seeking behavior, and 18-methoxycoronaridine may represent a new class of anti-addiction agents.