18-Methoxycoronaridine

-18-Methoxycoronaridine (18-MC) is a derivative of ibogaine

Ibogaine

Ibogaine is a naturally occurring psychoactive substance found in a number of plants, principally in a member of the Apocynaceae family known as Iboga . A hallucinogen with both psychedelic and dissociative properties, the substance is banned in some countries; in other countries it is being used...

 invented in 1996 by the research team around the pharmacologist Stanley D. Glick from the Albany Medical College

Albany Medical College

Albany Medical College is a medical school located in Albany, New York, United States. It was founded in 1839 by Amos Dean, Dr. Thomas Hun and others, and is one of the oldest medical schools in the nation...

 and the chemist Martin E. Kuehne from the University of Vermont

University of Vermont

The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...

. In animal studies it has proved to be effective at reducing self-administration of morphine

Morphine

Morphine is a potent opiate analgesic medication and is considered to be the prototypical opioid. It was first isolated in 1804 by Friedrich Sertürner, first distributed by same in 1817, and first commercially sold by Merck in 1827, which at the time was a single small chemists' shop. It was more...

, cocaine

Cocaine

Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...

, methamphetamine

Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...

, nicotine

Nicotine

Nicotine is an alkaloid found in the nightshade family of plants that constitutes approximately 0.6–3.0% of the dry weight of tobacco, with biosynthesis taking place in the roots and accumulation occurring in the leaves...

 and sucrose

Sucrose

Sucrose is the organic compound commonly known as table sugar and sometimes called saccharose. A white, odorless, crystalline powder with a sweet taste, it is best known for its role in human nutrition. The molecule is a disaccharide composed of glucose and fructose with the molecular formula...

.

18-MC is a selective α₃β₄

Ganglion type nicotinic receptor

The ganglion type nicotinic receptor is a type of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, consisting of the subunit combination 23.It is located in the autonomic ganglia, where activation yields EPSP, mainly by increased Na+ and K+ permeability....

 nicotinic antagonist

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, or nAChRs, are cholinergic receptors that form ligand-gated ion channels in the plasma membranes of certain neurons and on the postsynaptic side of the neuromuscular junction...

 and, in contrast to ibogaine, has no affinity at the α₄β₂

Alpha-4 beta-2 nicotinic receptor

The alpha-4 beta-2 nicotinic receptor, also known as the α4β2 receptor, is a type of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, consisting of α4 and β2 subunits...

 subtype nor at NMDA-channel

NMDA

N-Methyl-D-aspartic acid or N-Methyl-D-aspartate is an amino acid derivative which acts as a specific agonist at the NMDA receptor mimicking the action of glutamate, the neurotransmitter which normally acts at that receptor...

s nor at the serotonin transporter

Serotonin transporter

The serotonin transporter is a monoamine transporter protein.This protein is an integral membrane protein that transports the neurotransmitter serotonin from synaptic spaces into presynaptic neurons. This transport of serotonin by the SERT protein terminates the action of serotonin and recycles it...

, and has significantly reduced affinity for sodium channels and for the σ receptor

Sigma receptor

The sigma receptors σ1 and σ2 bind to ligands such as 4-PPBP, SA 4503, ditolylguanidine, dimethyltryptamine and siramesine.- Classification :...

, but retains modest affinity for the μ

Mu Opioid receptor

The μ-opioid receptors are a class of opioid receptors with high affinity for enkephalins and beta-endorphin but low affinity for dynorphins. They are also referred to as μ opioid peptide receptors. The prototypical μ receptor agonist is the opium alkaloid morphine; μ refers to morphine...

 and κ

Kappa Opioid receptor

The κ-opioid receptor is a protein that in humans is encoded by the OPRK1 gene. The κ-opioid receptor is one of five related receptors that bind opium-like compounds in the brain and are responsible for mediating the effects of these compounds...

 opioid receptors. The sites of action in the brain include the medial habenula, interpeduncular nucleus

Interpeduncular nucleus

The Interpeduncular nucleus is a unpaired, ovoid cell group at the base of the midbrain tegmentum. It is located in the mesencephalon below the interpeduncular fossa...

, dorsolateral tegmentum and basolateral amygdala

Basolateral Amygdala

The Basolateral Amygdala is a major limbic-related region within the brain.The basolateral amygdala projects heavily to the nucleus accumbens. The nucleus accumbens is regarded as the limbic-motor interface, in view of these limbic afferent and its somatomotor and autonomic efferent connections...

. It has also been shown to produce anorectic

Anorectic

An anorectic or anorexic , also known as anorexigenic or appetite suppressant, is a dietary supplement and/or drug which reduces appetite, food consumption, and as a result, causes weight loss to occur.-List of anorectics:Numerous pharmaceutical compounds are marketed as appetite suppressants.The...

 effects in obese rats, most likely due to the same actions on the reward system which underlie its anti-addictive effects against drug addiction.

18-MC has not yet been tested in humans. In 2002 the research team started trying to raise funds for human trials, but were unable to secure the estimated $5 million needed. Efforts to raise funds for future trials are still ongoing. In January 2010, Obiter Research, a chemical manufacturer in Champaign, Illinois, signed a patent license with Albany Medical College and the University of Vermont allowing them the right to synthesize and market 18-MC and other congeners.

A number of derivatives of 18-MC have also been developed, with several of them being superior to 18-MC itself, the methoxyethyl congener ME-18-MC

2-Methoxyethyl-18-methoxycoronaridinate

-2-Methoxyethyl-18-methoxycoronaridinate is a second generation synthetic derivative of ibogaine developed by the research team led by the pharmacologist Stanley D. Glick from the Albany Medical College and the chemist Martin E. Kuehne from the University of Vermont...

 being more potent than 18-MC but with similar efficacy, and the methylamino analogue 18-MAC

18-Methylaminocoronaridine

-18-Methylaminocoronaridine is a second generation synthetic derivative of ibogaine developed by the research team led by the pharmacologist Stanley D. Glick from the Albany Medical College and the chemist Martin E. Kuehne from the University of Vermont...

being more effective than 18-MC but with around the same potency. These compounds were also found to act as selective α₃β₄ nicotinic acetylcholine antagonists, with little or no effect on NMDA receptors.

Further reading