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(+)-Matrine - a natural opioid

Holy_cow

Holy_cow

Bluelighter
Joined
Nov 29, 2007
Messages
171
(+)-Matrine might be an interesting natural compound to investigate:

Planta Med. 1999 Apr;65(3):230-3.

kappa-Opioid receptor-mediated antinociceptive effects of stereoisomers and derivatives of (+)-matrine in mice.

Xiao P, Kubo H, Ohsawa M, Higashiyama K, Nagase H, Yan YN, Li JS, Kamei J, Ohmiya S.

Institute of Medicinal Chemistry, Hoshi University, Tokyo, Japan.

The antinociceptive effects of seven matrine-type lupin alkaloids were examined using the acetic acid-induced abdominal contraction test (the writhing test) and the tail-flick test in mice. (+)-Allomatrine, the C-6 epimer of (+)-matrine, produced the antinociceptive effect at 1/3 potency of (+)-matrine or pentazocine. It was demonstrated that the antinociceptive effects of (+)-allomatrine were mediated through the activation of kappa-opioid receptors, while the antinociceptive effect of (+)-matrine was mediated by both mu- and kappa-opioid receptors. (-)-Sophoridine, the C-6 epimer of (+)-matrine, (+)-sophoranol, (-)-14 beta-hydroxymatrine and (+)-matrine N-oxide, which possess a hydrophilic group, and (-)-sophocarpine and (-)-sophoramine having a double bond(s) did not show significant antinociceptive activity.

PMID: 10232067 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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I've read a little about this drug. It looks like steroid, I think.

180px-Chinolizidin_alkaloid.JPG


It's found naturally in Sophora flavescens, btw. I wonder if anyone has reported significant psychoactive effect from this herb.
 
It grows hair too,
In search of natural extracts for hair growth, we found that the extract of dried root of Sophora flavescens has outstanding hair growth promoting effect. After topical application of Sophora flavescens extract onto the back of C57BL/6 mice, the earlier conversion of telogen-to-anagen was induced. The growth of dermal papilla cells cultured in vitro, however, was not affected by Sophora flavescens extract treatment. RT-PCR analysis showed that Sophora flavescens extract induced mRNA levels of growth factors such as IGF-1 and KGF in dermal papilla cells, suggesting that the effects of Sophora flavescens extract on hair growth may be mediated through the regulation of growth factors in dermal papilla cells. In addition, the Sophora flavescens extract revealed to possess potent inhibitory effect on the type II 5α-reductase activity. Taken together, these results suggest that Sophora flavescens extract has hair growth promoting potential and can be used for hair growing products.
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http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=14003157

Perhaps we will witness a rash of cave-man looking drug abusers.

The Chinese name of the herb is "Ku Shen", and it is very cheap and apparently widely used in China.
 
I wonder if it has the convulsant properties of other neuroactive steroids....
 
If you're looking for Matrine, Sophora Subprostrata is the way to go. Contains Matrine and Oxymatrine.

Heres an abstract about the Antinociceptive effects of (+)-matrine in mice.

I have been looking at some 5X Extract of S. subprostrata from my favorite vendor. I think I'll purchase it soon and give it a try.

Can't do that. -phrozen

Here's a pic of the S. subprostrata:
soph3.jpg
 
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(+)-matrine looks like it would probably have unpleasant dysphoric effects at high doses, but i'd be very interested in tasting it nonetheless. the strcuture has some elements similar to salvinorin A
 
Mr Blonde said:
^ Any particular reason why?
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it has been explore medicinally to quite some degree without any mention i see of typical effects that would ential those of a mu
 
wungchow said:
(+)-matrine looks like it would probably have unpleasant dysphoric effects at high doses, but i'd be very interested in tasting it nonetheless. the strcuture has some elements similar to salvinorin A
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It doesn't really. Infact I'd go as far as to say they have almost totally unrelated strucures, though at a pinch you could overlay some of the electronegative areas.

150px-Salvinorin-A_structure.png
 
I just bought a pound of it for 11.99. gonna see if it's worth anything.
 
it has some but very little mu activity, it's mainly kappa. In studies it's comparable to pentazocine. So if u like salvia u'll like this
 
Well, if you like pentazocine, you'll like this. Salvia is great because it's brief, if it were long lasting, very few people would ever consider using it more than once- even fewer.
 
matrine is no direct agonist for neither µ- nor k-receptors, but it rather triggers release of dynorhins and enkephalins, so the comparison of matrine with other opioid-agonists is nonsense.

at least that's the latest info i've got on this topic. :)
 
morphiquet said:
matrine is no direct agonist for neither µ- nor k-receptors, but it rather triggers release of dynorhins and enkephalins, so the comparison of matrine with other opioid-agonists is nonsense.

at least that's the latest info i've got on this topic. :)
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Very interesting. Do you have any references?

EDIT: I found some Sophora extract (tincture). I'm sure it's quite potent, since this vendor makes the best extracts I know of. He actually makes most of the extracts for many of the "entheobotanical" vendors on the net.

$10.00 for 10ml. Think I'll purchase this and give it a try. I'll report back.

there's no reason for a non-descript image of a vial from a vendor's website, or for complex, google-able phrases. what you've quoted is also curiously labeled as two different species of sophora. you might want to establish what is it exactly before you try it on yourself. - nuke
 
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That's a pretty big violation man, that's a direct link to a vendor, though cloaked in an image.
 
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