Date of Award
12-2009
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Dr. Lisa E. Baker
Second Advisor
Dr. C. Richard Spates
Third Advisor
Dr. Ron Van Houten
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Campus Only
Abstract
Salvinorin A, the main active component of Salvia divinorum, is a potent and selective kappa opioid receptor (KOR) agonist (Roth et al., 2002). Currently, it is a federally unregulated, unscheduled compound that has become an increasingly popular recreational drug; however, salvinorin A, or novel compounds with similar actions, may also have medicinal benefits (Vortherms and Roth, 2006; Prisinzano, 2009). Synthetic derivatives similar in structure to salvinorin A may be useful in the treatment of mood disorders, pain management, or even substance abuse (Prisinzano & Rothman, 2008). Using the drug discrimination assay, the potency of salvinorin A and its derivatives may be investigated in vivo. Similar in structure to salvinorin A, two synthetic derivatives of salvinorin B, the ethoxymethyl (EOM) ether and methoxymethyl (MOM) ether, exhibit higher affinity to KORs than salvinorin A (Munro et al., 2008). The current study supports in vitro binding studies that have demonstrated EOM and MOM to have greater potency and binding affinity to KORs, as EOM and MOM substituted fully for salvinorin A at doses approximately 6.7-fold lower (Munro et al., 2008). These in vivo findings additionally demonstrated MOM to be slightly more potent than EOM, whereas previous in vitro studies have demonstrated EOM to be more potent than MOM (Munro et al., 2008).
Recommended Citation
Peet, M. Melissa, "Salvinorin B Derivatives, EOM and MOM Substitue for the Discriminative Stimulus Effects of Salvinorin A" (2009). Masters Theses. 294.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/294