Pharmacological treatments are available for alcohol, nicotine, and opioid dependence,
and several drugs for cannabis-related disorders are currently under investigation. On the other
hand, psychostimulant abuse and dependence lacks pharmacological treatment. Mesolimbic
dopaminergic neurons mediate the motivation to use drugs and drug-induced euphoria, and
psychostimulants (cocaine, amphetamine, and methamphetamine) produce their effects in these
neurons, which may be modulated by the opioid system. Salvinorin A is a κ-opioid receptor
agonist extracted from Salvia divinorum, a hallucinogenic plant used in magico-ritual contexts by
Mazateca Indians in México. Salvinorin A and its analogues have demonstrated anti-addiction
effects in animal models using psychostimulants by attenuating dopamine release, sensitization,
and other neurochemical and behavioral alterations associated with acute and prolonged
administration of these drugs. The objective of the present article is to present an overview of the preclinical evidence suggesting anti-addictive effects of salvinorin A and its analogues.