Erowid References Database
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Smythies JR.
“On The Molecular Mechanism Of Action Of Hallucinogens”.
The Psychopharmacology of hallucinogens.. 1978.
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Abstract
This paper will describe the application to the problem of the molecular structure of the hallucinogen receptor of a general theory of receptors for neurotransmitters and cognate drugs presented elsewhere (Smythies, l974; Smythies, 1975). This hypothesis is based on some previous work by Kusnetsov and Ghokov (1962), who suggested that the basis of receptors for transmitters may be two §-pleated chains connected by the opposed complementary amino acids. In a §-pleated chain the amino acids come off alternatively left, right, left, right, etc., and therefore if two such chains are arranged in a parallel array, every other amino acid on each chain can form bonds to each other if they are complementary. In other words, if the amino acid on one chain is arginine and the other is glutamate, these two can form an ionic link; if the amino acid on one chain is glutamine and the other is glutamine, these can form a double hydrogen bonded link; and if the amino acid on one chain is lipophilic such as leucine and the other is also lipophilic, then the Àwo can form a lipophilic interaction. In this way various grids can be built up, to which we have given the name Kusnetsov-Ghokov grids. The exact form of the grids will be determined by the number of rungs in the ladder and the particular amino acids cross-linked. If the amino acids cross-linked are all of much the same length, the two strains will be parallel; but if some are short and some are long, then one will obtain an irregular §-chain.
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