title: The hallucinogenic herb Salvia divinorum and its active ingredient salvinorin A reduce inflammation-induced hypermotility in mice.
abstract: The hallucinogenic plant Salvia divinorum has been used for medical treatments of gastrointestinal disorders. Here, we evaluated the effect of a standardized extract from the leaves of Salvia divinorum (SDE) and of its active ingredient salvinorin A on motility in vivo, both in physiological states and during croton oil-induced intestinal inflammation. SDE (1-100 mg kg(-1)) significantly inhibited motility only in inflamed, but not in control, mice. In control mice, salvinorin A (0.01-10 mg kg(-1)) significantly inhibited motility only at the highest doses tested (3 and 10 mg kg(-1)) and this effect was not counteracted by naloxone or by the kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) antagonist nor-binaltorphimine. Inflammation significantly increased the potency of salvinorin A (but not of the KOR agonist U-50488) in reducing motility. The inhibitory effects of both salvinorin A and U-50488 in inflamed mice were counteracted by naloxone or by nor-binaltorphimine. We conclude that salvinorin A may reduce motility through activation of different targets. In physiological states, salvinorin A, at high doses, inhibited motility through a non-KOR mediated mechanism. Gut inflammation increased the potency of salvinorin A; this effect was mediated by KOR, but it was not shared by U-50488, thus suggesting that salvinorin A may have target(s) other than KOR in the inflamed gut.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Pharmacology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy. rafcapas@unina.it
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Capasso
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Borrelli
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zjawiony
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kutrzeba
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aviello
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sarnelli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Capasso
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Izzo
mesh_terms: D019900:3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl)-benzeneacetamide, (trans)-Isomer / Q000494:pharmacology; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045785:Diterpenes, Clerodane; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D017473:Receptors, Opioid, kappa / Q000187:drug effects; D027544:Salvia / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D004224:Diterpenes; D045785:Diterpenes, Clerodane; D006213:Hallucinogens; D010936:Plant Extracts; D017473:Receptors, Opioid, kappa; D019900:3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl)-benzeneacetamide, (trans)-Isomer; C090499:salvinorin A