Salvinorin A Does Not Affect Seizure Threshold in Mice
Katarzyna Socała, Urszula Doboszewska, Piotr Wlaź
Molecules March 7, 2020 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25051204 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Preclinical experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Mice |
| Intervention | Salvinorin A |
| Dose | 0.1–10 mg/kg, i.p. |
| Topics | Salvia divinorum |
| Key findings | Salvinorin A (0.1–10 mg/kg, i.p.) did not significantly affect seizure thresholds in three acute seizure tests in mice. |
Abstract
The κ-opioid receptor has recently gained attention as a new molecular target in the treatment of many psychiatric and neurological disorders including epilepsy. Salvinorin A is a potent plant-derived hallucinogen that acts as a highly selective κ-opioid receptor agonist. It has unique structure and pharmacological properties, but its influence on seizure susceptibility has not been studied so far. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of salvinorin A on seizure thresholds in three acute seizure tests in mice. We also examined its effect on muscular strength and motor coordination. The obtained results showed that salvinorin A (0.1–10 mg/kg, i.p.) did not significantly affect the thresholds for the first myoclonic twitch, generalized clonic seizure, or forelimb tonus in the intravenous pentylenetetrazole seizure threshold test in mice. Likewise, it failed to affect the thresholds for tonic hindlimb extension and psychomotor seizures in the maximal electroshock- and 6 Hz-induced seizure threshold tests, respectively. Moreover, no changes in motor coordination (assessed in the chimney test) or muscular strength (assessed in the grip-strength test) were observed. This is a preliminary report only, and further studies are warranted to better characterize the effects of salvinorin A on seizure and epilepsy.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on salvia divinorum, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effects of the plant-derived hallucinogen salvinorin A on basal dopamine levels in the caudate putamen and in a conditioned place aversion assay in mice: agonist actions at kappa opioid receptors. Mice | 2005 | Experimental study | |
| Potential anxiolytic‐ and antidepressant‐like effects of salvinorin A, the main active ingredient of Salvia divinorum, in rodents Male Sprague-Dawley rats and male Albino Swiss mice | 2009 | Experimental study | |
| Involvement of kappa-opioid and endocannabinoid system on Salvinorin A-induced reward. Wistar rats | 2008 | Experimental study | |
| Role of kappa-opioid receptors in the effects of salvinorin A and ketamine on attention in rats. Rats | 2010 | Experimental study | |
| The plant-derived hallucinogen, salvinorin A, produces kappa-opioid agonist-like discriminative effects in rhesus monkeys. Rhesus monkeys | 2004 | Experimental study | n = 3 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Salvinorin A and Salvia divinorum: Clinical and Forensic Aspects Pharmaceuticals February 3, 2021
- Bedside to bench: the outlook for psychedelic research Frontiers in Pharmacology October 2, 2023
- The translational potential of salvinorin A: systematic review and meta-analysis of preclinical studies. Translational Psychiatry October 10, 2025
Cites 22
- Salvinorin A: a potent naturally occurring nonnitrogenous kappa opioid selective agonist. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences September 3, 2002
- Effects of the plant-derived hallucinogen salvinorin A on basal dopamine levels in the caudate putamen and in a conditioned place aversion assay in mice: agonist actions at kappa opioid receptors. Psychopharmacology May 1, 2005
- Potential anxiolytic‐ and antidepressant‐like effects of salvinorin A, the main active ingredient of Salvia divinorum, in rodents British Journal of Pharmacology May 5, 2009
- Neuropharmacology of the naturally occurring kappa-opioid hallucinogen salvinorin A. Pharmacological Reviews June 1, 2011
- Identification of the molecular mechanisms by which the diterpenoid salvinorin A binds to kappa-opioid receptors. Biochemistry June 21, 2005
and 17 more in the library