Psychotridine is an
alkaloid
Alkaloids are a class of basic, naturally occurring organic compounds that contain at least one nitrogen atom. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral and even weakly acidic properties. Some synthetic compounds of similar ...
found in some species of the genus ''
Psychotria
''Psychotria'' is a genus of flowering plants in the Family (biology), family Rubiaceae. It contains 1,582 species and is therefore one of the largest genera of flowering plants. The genus has a pantropical distribution and members of the genus a ...
'', namely ''
Psychotria colorata'',
but also ''
Psychotria forsteriana'',
''
Psychotria lyciiflora'',
''
Psychotria oleoides'',
and ''
Psychotria beccarioides''.
Psychotridine has
analgesic effects and dose-dependently inhibits
dizocilpine
Dizocilpine (INN), also known as MK-801, is a pore blocker of the ''N''-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, a glutamate receptor, discovered by a team at Merck in 1982. Glutamate is the brain's primary excitatory neurotransmitter. The channel is ...
binding to cortical membranes ''in vitro'', suggesting that it acts as a
non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist
NMDA receptor antagonists are a class of drugs that work to antagonize, or inhibit the action of, the ''N''-Methyl-D-aspartate receptor ( NMDAR). They are commonly used as anesthetics for animals and humans; the state of anesthesia they induce ...
.
See also
*
Hodgkinsine
References
Alkaloids
NMDA receptor antagonists
Pyrroloindoles
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