Salvia Divinorum for treatment of addiction

[cronxeh]

According to this paper http://www.sagewisdom.org/zhangetal.pdf Salvinorin A (active compound in Salvia Divinorum) lowers dopamine levels significantly right after injection.

And according to "Dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia" ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopamine_hypothesis_of_psychosis ):

Disruption to the dopamine system has also been strongly linked to psychosis and schizophrenia. Dopamine neurons in the mesolimbic pathway are particularly associated with these conditions. This is partly due to the discovery of a class of drugs called the phenothiazines (which block D2 dopamine receptors) that can reduce psychotic symptoms, and partly due to the finding that drugs such as amphetamine and cocaine (which are known to greatly increase dopamine levels) can cause psychosis. Because of this, most modern antipsychotic medication is designed to block dopamine function to varying degrees. Blocking the D2 dopamine receptor is known to cause relapse in patients that have achieved remission from depression, and such blocking also counteracts the effectiveness of SSRI medication.

Could Salvia divinorum be used for treatment of psychosis in amphetamine/cocaine addicts and schizophrenia?

 

[DocToxyn]

Direct use of Salvinorin A may not be the best solution to drug-induced psychoses or schizophrenia. Since the agent itself a hallucinogen, you may simply be trading one symptom for another. Perhaps by studying the specific pharmacological/receptor characteristics of the drug we could more readily create a more useful agent with less deleterious side-effects.

 

[ravenprp]

While the paper suggests that Salvinorin A, the active compound in Salvia Divinorum, may lower dopamine levels, it is important to note that this effect was observed in animal studies and not in humans. Additionally, the effects of Salvia Divinorum on dopamine levels are not well understood and further research is needed to fully understand its mechanisms of action.

Furthermore, the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia is a complex and controversial theory, with a lack of consensus among researchers. While some studies have shown that drugs that increase dopamine levels can cause psychosis, there is also evidence that other neurotransmitters, such as glutamate, may play a role in the development of schizophrenia.

Therefore, it is premature to suggest that Salvia Divinorum could be used for the treatment of addiction or psychosis. More research is needed to understand its effects on the brain and its potential therapeutic uses. It is important to approach any potential treatment with caution and to conduct thorough clinical trials before making any claims about its effectiveness for treating addiction or psychiatric disorders.