Lactucopicrin (Intybin) is a bitter substance that has a

sedative A sedative or tranquilliser is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement. They are CNS depressants and interact with brain activity causing its deceleration. Various kinds of sedatives can be distinguished, but t ...

and

analgesic An analgesic drug, also called simply an analgesic (American English), analgaesic (British English), pain reliever, or painkiller, is any member of the group of drugs used to achieve relief from pain (that is, analgesia or pain management). It ...

effect, acting on the

central nervous system The central nervous system (CNS) is the part of the nervous system consisting primarily of the brain and spinal cord. The CNS is so named because the brain integrates the received information and coordinates and influences the activity of all par ...

. It is a

sesquiterpene lactone Sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) are a class of sesquiterpenoids that contain a lactone ring. They are most often found in plants of the family Asteraceae (daisies, asters). Other plant families with SLs are Umbelliferae (celery, parsley, carrots) an ...

, and is a component of

lactucarium Lactucarium is the milky fluid secreted by several species of lettuce, especially ''Lactuca virosa'', usually from the base of the stems. It is known as lettuce opium because of its sedative and analgesic properties. It has also been reported ...

, derived from the plant ''

Lactuca virosa ''Lactuca virosa'' is a plant in the ''Lactuca'' (lettuce) genus, often ingested for its mild analgesic and sedative effects. It is related to common lettuce ('' L. sativa''), and is often called wild lettuce, bitter lettuce, laitue vireuse, opi ...

'' (wild lettuce), as well as being found in some related plants such as ''

Cichorium intybus Common chicory (''Cichorium intybus'') is a somewhat woody, perennial herbaceous plant of the family Asteraceae, usually with bright blue flowers, rarely white or pink. Native to the Old World, it has been introduced to North America and Austral ...

''. It is also found in

dandelion coffee Dandelion 'coffee' (also dandelion tea) is a tisane made from the root of the dandelion plant. The roasted dandelion root pieces and the beverage have some resemblance to coffee in appearance and taste, and it is thus commonly considered a coffee ...

. As well as their traditional use as sedatives and analgesics, these plants have also been used as

antimalarials Antimalarial medications or simply antimalarials are a type of antiparasitic chemical agent, often naturally derived, that can be used to treat or to prevent malaria, in the latter case, most often aiming at two susceptible target groups, young c ...

, and both lactucin and lactucopicrin have demonstrated antimalarial effects ''in vitro''. Lactucopicrin has also been shown to act as an

acetylcholinesterase inhibitor Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) also often called cholinesterase inhibitors, inhibit the enzyme acetylcholinesterase from breaking down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine into choline and acetate, thereby increasing both the level and ...

References

{{Acetylcholine metabolism and transport modulators Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors Sesquiterpene lactones Phenols Enones Lactones Azulenofurans Acetate esters Cyclopentenes Vinylidene compounds

See also

References