Deuterated mitragynine (developmental code name KUR-101) is an atypical
μ-opioid receptor
The μ-opioid receptors (MOR) are a class of opioid receptors with a high affinity for enkephalins and beta-endorphin, but a low affinity for dynorphins. They are also referred to as μ(''mu'')-opioid peptide (MOP) receptors. The prototypical ...
agonist
An agonist is a chemical that activates a Receptor (biochemistry), receptor to produce a biological response. Receptors are Cell (biology), cellular proteins whose activation causes the cell to modify what it is currently doing. In contrast, an R ...
and
deuterated analogue of
mitragynine
Mitragynine is an indole-based alkaloid and is one of the main Psychoactive drug, psychoactive constituents in the Southeast Asian plant ''Mitragyna speciosa'', commonly known as kratom. It is an atypical opioid that is typically consumed as a p ...
(found in
kratom
''Mitragyna speciosa'' is a tropical evergreen tree of the Rubiaceae family (coffee family) native to Southeast Asia. It is indigenous to Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Papua New Guinea, where its dark green, glossy leav ...
) which is under development for the treatment of
acute pain
Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging Stimulus (physiology), stimuli. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as "an unpleasant sense, sensory and emotional experience associated with, or res ...
and
opioid-related disorders.
[; ] It is taken
by mouth
Oral administration is a route of administration whereby a substance is taken through the Human mouth, mouth, swallowed, and then processed via the digestive system. This is a common route of administration for many medications.
Oral administ ...
.
Deumitragynine is said to have
analgesic
An analgesic drug, also called simply an analgesic, antalgic, pain reliever, or painkiller, is any member of the group of drugs used for pain management. Analgesics are conceptually distinct from anesthetics, which temporarily reduce, and in s ...
effects.
The drug is being developed by
ATAI Life Sciences and Kures.
As of December 2022, it is in
phase 1 clinical trial
Clinical trials are prospective biomedical or behavioral research studies on human subject research, human participants designed to answer specific questions about biomedical or behavioral interventions, including new treatments (such as novel v ...
s for acute pain and opioid-related disorders.
See also
*
List of investigational analgesics
This is a list of investigational analgesics, or analgesics that are currently under development for clinical use but are not yet approved. ''Chemical/generic names are listed first, with developmental code names, synonyms, and brand names in par ...
References
External links
Deu-Mitragynine - atai Life Sciences
Analgesics
Drugs with undisclosed chemical structures
Enol ethers
Experimental drugs
Indoloquinolizines
Methoxy compounds
Methyl esters
Mu-opioid receptor agonists
Tryptamine alkaloids
{{Analgesic-stub