(±)-Epibatidine (hydrochloride)

(±)-Epibatidine is an alkaloid that has been found in Ecuadoran poison frog (E. tricolor) skin extracts and an agonist of α4β2 subunit-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs; K_i = 43 pM).^1,2 It is selective for α4β2 subunit-containing nAChRs over α7 nAChRs (K_i = 230 nM).¹ (±)-Epibatidine enhances ⁸⁶Rb⁺ flux in IMR-32 cells (EC₅₀ = 7 nM) and induces dopamine release from rat striatal slices (EC₅₀ = 0.4 nM), effects that can be reduced by the nAChR antagonist mecamylamine (Item No. 14602). In vivo, (±)-epibatidine induces analgesia in the hot plate test and the Straub-tail response in mice (ED₅₀s = 0.005 and 0.02 mg/kg, respectively).²

WARNING This product is not for human or veterinary use.

1. Sullivan, J.P., Decker, M.W., Brioni, J.D., et al. (+/-)-Epibatidine elicits a diversity of in vitro and in vivo effects mediated by nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 271(2), 624-631 (1994).

2. Spande, T.F., Garraffo, H.M., Edwards, M.W., et al. Epibatidine: A novel (chloropyridyl)azabicycloheptane with potent analgesic activity from an Ecuadoran poison frog. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 114(9), 3475-3478 (1992).