Akuammicine (Akuamma Indole Alkaloid · Kappa-Opioid Agonist · Informational)
Compiled from published pharmacological and botanical literature. Not independently verified by Herbuno. Spotted an error or have a correction? Flag it below →
| Compound | Akuammicine |
| Chemical class | Alkaloid — Indole (strychnos-type monoterpenoid indole alkaloid) |
| CAS | 558-14-5 |
| Primary source | Picralima nitida (akuamma) seeds; also Alstonia spp. |
| Key applications | Kappa-opioid receptor agonist; medicinal-chemistry scaffold; informational-only |
| Claim strength | Emerging |
| Typical form | Research reference; not offered as a supplement ingredient |
| Buy from Herbuno | Informational reference — see HerbIQ Compound Index → |
Name origin: Akuammicine is named, like the rest of the akuamma alkaloids, from akuamma, the West African name for Picralima nitida. Structurally it is a strychnos-type monoterpenoid indole alkaloid, a scaffold distinct from the akuammiline and sarpagine skeletons of its seed-mates, and it also occurs in Alstonia species, linking it to the Alstonia alkaloids documented elsewhere in HerbIQ. Traditional use: Akuamma seed has long been used in West African traditional medicine for pain, fever, and malaria, and has been employed for opioid withdrawal. Akuammicine has no separate traditional identity, arising as one of several alkaloids in the seed, but it is a meaningful contributor to the seed's opioid pharmacology through a receptor quite different from that engaged by its relatives. Research trajectory: Akuammicine stands out within the akuamma family as a kappa-opioid receptor agonist rather than a mu-active compound. Isolation of six akuamma alkaloids in high purity, followed by screening against a panel of more than 40 CNS receptors, identified akuammicine as a potent kappa-opioid agonist Creed 2021. Because it is a structurally unique kappa ligand, unlike conventional kappa agonists, it has become a scaffold of active medicinal-chemistry interest: a collection of semisynthetic derivatives revealed clear structure-activity trends, with substitution at the C10 position of the aryl ring producing more than a 200-fold improvement in kappa potency and nearly complete kappa selectivity SAR 2024. Safety context: As an opioid-receptor agonist, akuammicine carries the safety considerations of that class; it is documented here as a factual research reference and is not offered as an ingredient.
Evidence for Akuammicine Applications
Kappa-opioid agonism: Receptor-panel screening of the purified akuamma alkaloids identified akuammicine as a potent kappa-opioid receptor agonist, the standout kappa-active member of a family whose other principal alkaloids act, weakly, at the mu receptor Creed 2021. This receptor divergence within a single seed is one of the more striking features of the akuamma alkaloids. Claim strength: Emerging.
Medicinal-chemistry scaffold: Because akuammicine is a structurally unique kappa ligand, semisynthetic derivatives were prepared to establish structure-activity relationships; substitutions at the C10 position of the aryl ring produced a greater than 200-fold improvement in kappa potency together with nearly complete selectivity for the kappa receptor over the mu receptor SAR 2024. This makes the akuammicine core a promising starting point for kappa-selective probe development. Claim strength: Emerging.
Structural distinctiveness: As a strychnos-type alkaloid, akuammicine differs in skeleton from the akuammiline-type akuammine and the sarpagine-type akuammidine that accompany it in the seed, and this structural diversity within one botanical source is what allows the family to engage different opioid receptor subtypes Creed 2021. Claim strength: Emerging.
Cross-genus occurrence: Akuammicine is reported not only from Picralima nitida but also from Alstonia species, linking the akuamma and Alstonia alkaloid groups and reflecting the shared monoterpenoid indole alkaloid biosynthesis of the Apocynaceae. Claim strength: Emerging.
Contribution to whole-seed pharmacology: Because kappa-opioid agonism produces effects quite different from mu agonism, akuammicine's presence means whole akuamma seed delivers a mixed opioid pharmacology whose net effect cannot be predicted from any single alkaloid Creed 2021. Claim strength: Emerging.
This compound is documented for research and formulator education purposes. For commercially available botanical ingredients, explore the HerbIQ Compound Index →
Dosage & Formulator Specification
Akuammicine is documented here for research and formulator education only; Herbuno does not offer it as an ingredient, and no established human dose exists. As a kappa-opioid receptor agonist it falls outside the botanical ingredient range, and no supplement-grade akuammicine material exists.
The kappa-opioid pharmacology deserves plain statement because it is often misunderstood. Kappa agonism is not simply a milder version of mu agonism; it produces a distinct effect profile and is generally associated with dysphoric rather than euphoric subjective effects. This means akuammicine's presence in akuamma seed contributes something qualitatively different from the mu-mediated actions of akuammidine, and it is one reason the net pharmacology of the whole seed resists simple description.
For anyone characterising akuamma material analytically, akuammicine is one of the alkaloids resolved by the chromatographic methods developed for this seed, and its quantification is part of the full alkaloid fingerprint. As with the rest of the family, single-marker characterisation is inadequate: the seed's pharmacology reflects a mixture of alkaloids acting at different opioid receptor subtypes with different directions of effect, and only full profiling captures that.
This monograph provides chemical, pharmacological, and safety context within the HerbIQ index, situating akuammicine alongside the other akuamma alkaloids and the Alstonia alkaloids covered elsewhere, and does not constitute sourcing guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions — Akuammicine
What is akuammicine?
Akuammicine is a strychnos-type monoterpenoid indole alkaloid of Picralima nitida (akuamma) seeds. It is distinctive within the akuamma family as a kappa-opioid receptor agonist rather than a mu-active compound, and it has become a scaffold of interest in kappa-opioid medicinal chemistry.
How does akuammicine act at opioid receptors?
Akuammicine is an agonist at the kappa opioid receptor. Receptor-panel screening of the purified akuamma alkaloids identified it as a potent kappa agonist, which sets it apart from akuammidine (mu-preferring agonist) and akuammine (reported mu antagonist).
Why is akuammicine studied in medicinal chemistry?
Because it is a structurally unique kappa-opioid ligand, unlike conventional kappa agonists. Semisynthetic derivatives have been prepared to map structure-activity relationships, and substitution at the C10 position of the aryl ring produced more than a 200-fold improvement in kappa potency with nearly complete kappa selectivity.
Why is akuammicine informational-only?
It is an opioid-receptor agonist, and compounds with opioid activity carry dependence and safety considerations that place them outside Herbuno's botanical ingredient range. This page documents akuammicine factually as a research and chemical-family reference.
Related compounds: Akuammine, Akuammidine, Akuammiline, Strychnine
Claim-strength scale – High = multiple human RCTs; Moderate = limited trials or strong preclinical convergence; Emerging = early-stage lab or animal data.
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