6-alpha-naltrexol

6-alpha-naltrexol is a metabolite of the opioid antagonist naltrexone. It functions as a competitive antagonist at opioid receptors, with its highest affinity for the mu-type opioid receptor (MOR). In pharmacological studies, particularly in non-human primates, 6-alpha-naltrexol has been shown to produce effects qualitatively similar to naltrexone, such as substituting for naltrexone in drug discrimination tasks and precipitating withdrawal in morphine-dependent subjects. However, it is significantly less potent than its parent compound. It is primarily utilized as a research tool to investigate the constitutive activity of opioid receptors and the comparative pharmacology of naltrexone metabolites.

Other names

6α-naltrexol6-alpha-hydroxynaltrexone