Salvia

Pharmacology

The main active chemical component of Salvia Divinorum, salvinorin A elicits its strong hallucinogenic effect by binding to and activating a specific receptor in the brain –the kappa opioid receptor (KOR). 

Once ingested, salvinorin A causes intense but short hallucinations that may be particularly vivid, unexplainable, colourful or dream-like.  The user may also experience uncontrollable laughter, while perception of time and location may alter while users may become completely incapacitated depending on the dose taken. 

Once the effects have ended, it is common for users to feel tired, dizzy and not remember the details of their experience.

Although the duration of effect is short, vulnerable individuals have been known to experience psychotic symptoms for some time after the effects have ended –particularly with higher doses.

Ordinarily, the kappa opioid receptor is a binding site for naturally-occurring opium-like chemicals (called alkaloids) and to date, salvinorin A is the only non-alkaloid found to bind to this receptor.

Uniquely, salvinorin A does not bind to or act on the specific serotonin receptor system associated with the actions of other hallucinogenic drugs such as LSD and psilocybin.  The original assumption that it did led to delays in understanding salvinorin A’s mode of action.

Extensive testing has shown that salvinorin A does not bind to over 50 other receptors considered to be important from a psychopharmacology viewpoint.

More recent research has found that Salvinorin A binds to the dopamine receptor 2 (D2 receptor) with a greater affinity than it has for the kappa opioid receptor.  As this receptor is associated with treatments for brain disorders (for example schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease) it is possible that Salvinorin A could have a role in the development of new treatments.