Therapeutic Potential of Salvinorin A and Its Analogues in Various Neurological Disorders
Translational Perioperative and Pain Medicine June 29, 2022 Joseph Cichon, Renyu Liu, Hoang-Vinh Le
Salvinorin A, the active component of the hallucinogenic plant Salvia divinorum, is a potent and highly selective kappa opioid receptor (KOR) agonist with a unique chemical structure lacking nitrogen, unlike all classic opioid receptor ligands. Its fast metabolism via hydrolysis to inactive salvinorin B results in a short duration of action, but a single dose induces rapid and robust changes in neural activity and connectivity in disease-related circuits. These neurophysiological effects may explain its rapid and durable therapeutic effects in difficult-to-treat neuropsychiatric disorders. The compound also serves as a valuable backbone for developing novel KOR-targeting drugs.