Salvinorin A, the active compound in the plant Salvia divinorum, is the most potent natural hallucinogen known, with as little as 200-500 μg of smoked leaves producing intense hallucinations. It acts as a highly selective agonist of the kappa-opioid receptor. Originally used only by the Mazatec people of Oaxaca, Mexico, it has become a globally accessible drug of abuse. Scientific interest has grown due to its unique structure and properties; studies have demonstrated antinociceptive, antidepressant, in some circumstances pro-depressant, and anti-addictive effects, opening potential new avenues for therapeutic applications.
Salvia divinorum, a psychoactive plant, and its main constituent salvinorin A are cytotoxic in a dose- and time-dependent manner across six cell lines. Hep G2 and Caco-2 cells showed lower sensitivity to both substances compared to other cell lines tested. This is the first study to examine the in vitro toxicity of S. divinorum and salvinorin A using multiple cell lines, highlighting the need for further research, especially on prolonged exposures, as existing work has focused on acute effects and lacks in vitro models.