Lactucin
Encyclopedia
Lactucin is a bitter substance that forms a white crystalline solid and belongs to the group of sesquiterpene lactone
s. It is found in some varieties of lettuce
and is an ingredient of lactucarium
. It has been shown to have analgesic
and sedative
properties.
It acts as adenosine receptor
agonist
.
Sesquiterpene lactone
Sesquiterpene lactones are a class of chemical compounds; they are sesquiterpenoids and contain a lactone ring, hence the name....
s. It is found in some varieties of lettuce
Lettuce
Lettuce is a temperate annual or biennial plant of the daisy family Asteraceae. It is most often grown as a leaf vegetable. It is eaten either raw, notably in salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, tacos, and many other dishes, or cooked, as in Chinese cuisine in which the stem becomes just as important...
and is an ingredient of lactucarium
Lactucarium
Lactucarium is the milky fluid secreted by several species of lettuce, especially Lactuca virosa, usually from the base of the stems. Lactucarium is known as lettuce opium because of its sedative and analgesic properties...
. It has been shown to have analgesic
Analgesic
An analgesic is any member of the group of drugs used to relieve pain . The word analgesic derives from Greek an- and algos ....
and sedative
Sedative
A sedative or tranquilizer is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement....
properties.
It acts as adenosine receptor
Adenosine receptor
The adenosine receptors are a class of purinergic receptors, G protein-coupled receptors with adenosine as endogenous ligand.-Pharmacology:...
agonist
Agonist
An agonist is a chemical that binds to a receptor of a cell and triggers a response by that cell. Agonists often mimic the action of a naturally occurring substance...
.