title: Synthetic studies on neoclerodane diterpenes from Salvia splendens: oxidative modifications of ring A.
abstract: Salvinorin A (1), a neoclerodane diterpene from the hallucinogenic mint Salvia divinorum, is the only known naturally occurring non-nitrogenous and specific κ-opioid agonist. Some oxidative modifications of the A ring in the congeners of 1 isolated from Salvia splendens salviarin, splenolide B, splendidin and in the non-natural 8-epi-salviarin gave new derivatives, some of which were tested as agonists at opioid receptors. However, none of these compounds were active. The presence of the C-18, C-19 lactone could be at the origin of the observed lack of binding affinity.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica Organica 'E. Paternò', Università degli Studi di Palermo, Parco d'Orleans 2, I-90128 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Savona
authors.forename: Benjamín
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: Christina M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Dersch
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Rothman
authors.forename: Thomas E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Prisinzano