Salvinorin A (SA) is a potent and highly selective kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) agonist with rapid kinetics and commensurate behavioral effects; however, brain regions associated with these effects have not been determined. Freely moving adult male rats were given SA intraperitoneally during uptake and trapping of the brain metabolic radiotracer, 2-deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-D: -glucose (FDG),...
Salvia divinorum, a mint plant originally used by the Mazatecs of Oaxaca, Mexico in spiritual rituals has gained popularity, in smoked form, as a legal hallucinogen in the United States and Europe. Abuse results in rapid onset and short-lasting effects that include visual hallucinations and motor-function impairment. Salvinorin A, the psychoactive component of S. divinorum, is a uniquely potent...