Salvinorin A ameliorates pilocarpine-induced seizures by regulating hippocampal microglia polarization

Salvia divinorum (Epling and Játiva) is a psychoactive plant traditionally used by the Latinos for various medicinal purposes. Salvinorin A (Sal A), the main bioactive constituent of S. divinorum, is a natural highly selective kappa opioid receptor (KOR) agonist. Considering the anti-inflammatory effect of S. divinorum and endogenous hippocampal dynorphin/ kappa opioid receptor (KOR) system playing an anticonvulsant function, we hypothesis that Sal A can be a potential candidate to treat epilepsy. Here, we identified whether Sal A ameliorated epileptic seizures and neuronal damages in animal model and in vitro model and investigated its underlying mechanisms.