Kavain is glycine antagonist but way weaker than strychnine

[Orz[EST]]

Kavalactones from Kava (Piper methysticum) root extract as modulators of recombinant human glycine receptors - PubMed

Roots of kava (Piper methysticum) plant are used in almost all Pacific Ocean cultures to prepare a drink with sedative, anesthetic and euphoric properties. One of the main active ingredients of the extract are kava lactones. Here, kava root CO2 extract and three kavalactones, DL-kavain...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

TLDR: kavain is way way weaker (and thus safer) glycine antagonist than strychnine because of glycine antagonist properties. Therefore, it is a mild mimic of strychnine, and, theoretically, would behave as an antidote to strychnine (bibding is mutually exclusive).

Strychnine was used as a stimulant before WWII era by certain narrow circles (no mainstream mass production of strychno-cola).

Indeed, from the pharmacological viewpoint, kava is an interesting cocktail of gababaergic, anti-dopaminergic, dopaminergic, CB1 (?) and now glycine receptor antagonism.

 

[The Kap'n]

Kavalactones from Kava (Piper methysticum) root extract as modulators of recombinant human glycine receptors - PubMed

Roots of kava (Piper methysticum) plant are used in almost all Pacific Ocean cultures to prepare a drink with sedative, anesthetic and euphoric properties. One of the main active ingredients of the extract are kava lactones. Here, kava root CO2 extract and three kavalactones, DL-kavain...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

TLDR: kavain is way way weaker (and thus safer) glycine antagonist than strychnine because of glycine antagonist properties. Therefore, it is a mild mimic of strychnine, and, theoretically, would behave as an antidote to strychnine (bibding is mutually exclusive).

Strychnine was used as a stimulant before WWII era by certain narrow circles (no mainstream mass production of strychno-cola).

Indeed, from the pharmacological viewpoint, kava is an interesting cocktail of gababaergic, anti-dopaminergic, dopaminergic, CB1 (?) and now glycine receptor antagonism.

Quite interesting. Looks like I have my reading material for the day

 

[Halibut_Acid]

It has a higher binding affinity than strychnine but is a only partial agonist or something like that?

 

[Orz[EST]]

I'll pass researching binding constant today but it clearly is not overtly potent.