The matrine-type alkaloid 4-dimethylamino-1-pentanoylpiperidine (3a) has an antinociceptive effect through its impact on the κ-opioid receptor (KOR). Derivatives of 3a were synthesized by altering its amide and tertiary amine groups, and were evaluated for their antinociceptive effects. The results indicated that the distance between these groups on 3a was optimal for the antinociceptive effect. The effects obtained with compounds 8 and 9 indicated that the relative configuration of the 3-and 4-substituents influenced the effect mediated through the KOR.Key words antinociception; kappa opioid receptor (KOR); matrine; piperidone; acetic acid-induced abdominal contraction test; mouse Narcotic analgesics such as morphine are administered for pain relief to cancer patients. Most narcotic analgesics are µ-opioid receptor (MOR) agonists and have adverse effects such as addiction, 1) respiratory depression, 2) and constipation.3,4) Although stimulation of the κ-opioid receptor (KOR) results in significant analgesia, KOR agonists do not suffer from the same adverse effects as MOR agonists. Many KOR agonists, including ethylketocyclazocine, U-50,488H, and nalfurafine (TRK-820), have been developed and investigated for their analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipruritic activity 5,6) ( Fig. 1). However, these agonists suffer from dose-limiting dysphoria, sedation, and psychotomimetic effects. 7,8) Consequently, the development of a KOR agonist that does not cause adverse effects is important.We previously reported that (+)-matrine (1) and (+)-allomatrine (2), typical matrine-type lupine alkaloids produced by Sophora Leguminosae, have antinociceptive properties identical to those of pentazocine.9) The effects of 1 were mediated mainly through activation of the KOR and partially through the MOR, and those of 2 were mediated only through the KOR.10) Furthermore, we found that neither 1 nor 2 provided the activation in the guanosine-5′-O-(3-[ 11) Although intracerebroventricular pretreatment with an antiserum against dynorphin A (1-17) did not affect the antinociceptive effect induced by subcutaneous (s.c.) treatment of 1 and 2, the antinociceptive effect was greatly attenuated by intrathecal (i.t.) pretreatment with an antiserum against dynorphin A (1-17) in mice. This suggested that the antinociceptive effect induced by s.c. treatment of 1 and 2 occurred without binding to the KOR in the ventricles of the brain, in where might stimulate the descending dynorphinergic neuron and production of dynorphin in the spinal cord.Because the pharmacological mechanism of action and chemical structures of 1 and 2 differ from conventional KOR agonists, we performed structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies for 1 and 2 and their antinociceptive activity using modifications of the A-D ring systems. The SAR studies showed that the amide group, tertiary amine group, and Cring of 1 and 2 were important in determining their activity. 4-Dimethylamino-1-pentanoylpiperidine (3) was identified as a lead compound through the antinociceptive eff...