18-Methoxycoronaridine: a putative anti-addictive agent

Dhasanai  Suriyachan

Authors

Dhasanai Suriyachan Pharmacology and Toxicology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Rangsit University, Patumthani 12000, Thailand

Keywords:

ibogaine, 18-methoxycoronaridine, anti-addiction

Abstract

18-Methoxycoronaridine (18-MC) is a synthetic analog of ibogaine, an indole alkaloid found in the roots of Tabernanthe iboga. It has been reported that ibogaine possesses multiple effects, especially in treating drug addiction, but it can induce whole-body tremor, Purkinje cell loss in the cerebellum, bradycardia, and flaccid paralysis in rats. On the contrary, 18-MC produces none of the above-mentioned toxic effects. At a single dose (40 mg/kg, i.p.) 18-MC reduced self-administration of nicotine, morphine, cocaine, ethanol, and methamphetamine without any apparent toxicity in addicted rats. The mechanism of anti-addictive action of 18-MC is believed to mediate via blocking the alpha3beta4 nicotinic receptors in the habenulo-interpeduncular pathway modulating the dopaminergic mesolimbic pathway known to be involved in drug addiction. From a close observation on the information about 18-MC, it has been found that this compound is not available for clinical use at present because of its clinical trial in progress to be approved by the USFDA. Once 18-MC has been approved, it will be a useful drug for the treatment of polydrug abuse.

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