Ann Pain Med | Volume 1, Issue 1 | Short Communication | Open Access

Salvinorin A, an Herbal Secondary Metabolite from Salvia Divinorum as an Anti-Neuropathic Pain Scaffold

Jan M Keppel Hesselink^1,2*

¹Department of Health, University of Witten/Herdecke, Germany
²Department of Neuropathic Pain, Institute for Neuropathic Pain, Bosch enDuin, Netherlands

^*Correspondance to: Jan M Keppel Hesselink 

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Abstract

Salvia Divinorum (SD) is used since ages by the Mazatec shamans for initiation purposes. SD contains a number of diterpenes of which Salvinorin A (SA) is the most remarkable compound, and to date it is the strongest psychedelic plant compound we know of. It high selective affinity to the Kappa Opioid Receptor (KOR) system, and also influences the endocannabinoid, the dopaminergic and the serotoninergic neurotransmitter systems. Its traditional use by Mazatec healersis related to the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, headache, rheumatism and to palliative care. Due to the pharmacokinetic properties with a very short half-life time, SA itself is not easy to use for clinical purposes. However, due to its unique pharmacology, the scaffold of SA might be of use in development special and new compounds for the treatment of neuropathic pain.

Keywords:

KOR; Agonist; CB1; Endocannabinoid; Central

Citation:

Hesselink JMK. Salvinorin A, an Herbal Secondary Metabolite from Salvia Divinorum as an Anti-Neuropathic Pain Scaffold. Annals Pain Med. 2018;1(1):1006.