The abuse of prescription and illegal opioids, such as morphine and heroin, is a major problem in the U.S., with devastating public health, economic and social consequences. That’s why scientists are searching for new medicines to help break the cycle of addiction. Now, researchers reporting in ACS’ Journal of Medicinal Chemistry have re-engineered the structure of vincamine, a plant-derived compound, so that it reduces morphine-seeking behaviors in mice.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 130 people died each day from an opioid overdose in 2017. To develop a drug to treat opioid addiction, Robert Huigens III, and colleagues wondered if they could use a natural product as a starting point to synthesize new compounds.