“…detailed pharmacological studies are lacking in animals to determine if Kratom or the major alkaloid, mitragynine, is able to attenuate the effects of opioid withdrawal and therefore medical potential.”
Biography
Christopher McCurdy, Ph.D., is a broadly trained medicinal chemist, behavioral pharmacologist and pharmacist whose research focuses on the design, synthesis and development of drugs to treat pain and drug abuse. For over 20 years, much of his research has focused on opioid, Neuropeptide FF and sigma receptor ligand/probe design, synthesis, pharmacological evaluation and development. He has been successful in discovering unique and selective tools for sigma receptors, NPFF receptors and opioid receptors. He is an internationally recognized expert on Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa), that is under investigation for opioid withdrawal syndrome. A significant portion of his career has been dedicated to the development of novel sigma receptor ligands, in collaboration with a variety of interdisciplinary groups, to generate and optimize selective ligands which could serve as critical experimental tools, and more recently, as potential medication development leads to attenuate the effects of cocaine, methamphetamine and pain. Most notably, he has developed a PET/MR imaging diagnostic agent for visualizing the origins of chronic, neuropathic pain by interacting with sigma receptors at the site of nerve damage. First-in-human studies are currently underway in a Phase 0 trial. In addition to his discovery chemistry roles, McCurdy serves as the director of the UF Translational Drug Development Core. Dr. McCurdy is currently President-Elect of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) and also serves as the Co-Chair of the Special Interest Group on Drug Design and Discovery (DDD) of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP).
Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) as a potential therapy for opioid dependance.
“A decoction of Kratom leaves was lyophilized to a light brown powder that was characterized based on mitragynine content and dosed to mice based on a survey of human users.”
Transcript abstract
Mitragyna speciosa Korth (Rubiaceae) is a Southeast Asian tree whose leaves are the origin of the Thai traditional drug “Kratom”. The extract of this plant possesses unique pharmacological actions that include a coca-like stimulant as well opium-like depressant actions. Traditionally, the plant extract has been used as an opium substitute, and it has been clinically used in Thailand to wean addicts off opiates. More recently, human case reports have appeared in the literature from use in the United States (US) and the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has announced an intention to place Kratom into Schedule I. However, detailed pharmacological studies are lacking in animals to determine if Kratom or the major alkaloid, mitragynine, is able to attenuate the effects of opioid withdrawal and therefore medical potential. This talk will provide a background on the ethnopharmacological basis we utilized to examine the ability of Kratom extracts or mitragynine, compared to methadone, in murine opioid withdrawal assays. A decoction of Kratom leaves was lyophilized to a light brown powder that was characterized based on mitragynine content and dosed to mice based on a survey of human users. Detailed analytical and pharmacokinetic studies provided information on equivalent dosing of the individual alkaloid, mitragynine, in order that the results could be directly compared to those given in the lyophilized Kratom groups. Lyophilized Kratom was dosed orally and significantly attenuated opioid withdrawal with regard to locomotor activity, jumping, paw tremors, teeth chattering but did not attenuate wet-dog shakes or loss in weight. Interestingly, mitragynine alone, administered orally, produced significant blockade of all withdrawal effects and did not effect weight. This data indicates that formulations of Kratom or mitragynine are worthy of further investigation as potential pharmacological treatments for opioid withdrawal.
