Arecoline
is a naturally occurring psychoactive alkaloid from areca
(betel) nuts of the areca palm (Areca catechu) endemic
to South and Southeast Asia. A partial agonist of nicotinic and muscarinic
acetylcholine receptors, arecoline evokes multiple effects on the
central nervous system (CNS), including stimulation, alertness, elation,
and anxiolysis. Like nicotine, arecoline also evokes addiction and
withdrawal symptoms (upon discontinuation). The abuse of areca nuts
is widespread, with over 600 million users globally. The importance
of arecoline is further supported by its being the world’s
fourth most commonly used human psychoactive substance (after alcohol,
nicotine, and caffeine). Here, we discuss neuropharmacology, pharmacokinetics,
and metabolism of arecoline, as well as social and historical aspects
of its use and abuse. Paralleling clinical findings, we also evaluate
its effects in animal models and outline future clinical and preclinical
CNS research in this field.
Kava (kava kava, Piper methysticum) is a common drugcontaining plant in the Pacific islands. Kavalactones, its psychoactive compounds, exert potent central nervous system (CNS) action clinically and in animal models. However, the exact pharmacological profiles and mechanisms of action of kava on the brain and behavior remain poorly understood. Here, we discuss clinical and experimental data on kava psychopharmacology and summarize chemistry and synthesis of kavalactones. We also review its societal impact, drug use and abuse potential, and future perspectives on translational kava research.
Multiple species display robust behavioral variance among individuals due to genetic, genomic, epigenetic, neuroplasticity and environmental factors. Behavioral individuality has been extensively studied in various animal models, including rodents and other mammals. Recently, fish, such zebrafish (Danio rerio), have emerged as powerful aquatic model organisms with overt individual differences in behavioral, nociceptive and other CNS traits. Here, we evaluate individual behavioral differences in mammals and fish, emphasizing the importance of crossspecies analyses of intraspecies variance in experimental models of normal and pathological CNS functions.
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