Molecular target
5-HT1A Receptor
Serotonin receptor implicated in mood, anxiety, and stress regulation. Partial-agonist activity is associated with anxiolytic effects.
Educational use only. This page summarizes published research and traditional-use records for educational purposes. It does not diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Do not start, stop, or change medications based on this information. Discuss any decisions about therapies — pharmaceutical or botanical — with a qualified clinician who knows your medical history.
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Pharmaceutical agents
Drugs that act on 5-HT1A Receptor
These medications have 5-HT1A Receptor among their molecular targets. Sharing a target is a mechanistic relationship — it does not make any plant below an alternative to, or substitute for, these drugs.
Botanical connections
Plants whose compounds act on 5-HT1A Receptor
Each plant below contains a named compound documented to act on 5-HT1A Receptor. The compound and the reason for the connection are shown on every edge — a shared mechanism, not a therapeutic equivalence.
- Cannabidiol (CBD)Non-psychoactive cannabinoid
Negative allosteric modulator at CB1; agonist at 5-HT1A, TRPV1; modulates GABA-A. Potent CYP3A4/2C9/2C19 inhibitor — major source of pharmacokinetic interactions.
- Triterpene glycosides (actein, cimicifugoside)Triterpene glycoside
Modern mechanism understanding: serotonergic activity, NOT estrogen receptor binding. The confusion arose because the indication overlap with phytoestrogens (menopausal symptoms) was historically assumed to imply mechanism overlap — modern binding studies show no ER affinity.
- LinaloolMonoterpene alcohol
Preclinical studies report GABAergic modulation and serotonergic activity attributed in part to linalool; investigated as a major anxiolytic-relevant constituent of ylang-ylang essential oil.
- N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT)Tryptamine alkaloid
Primary visionary psychoactive — 5-HT2A agonism is the mechanism shared with psilocybin and LSD. From Psychotria viridis (chacruna) leaf in classical ayahuasca, or Diplopterys cabrerana (chaliponga) in some preparations. Schedule I in the US.
- NuciferineAporphine alkaloid
D2 receptor antagonist with 5-HT1A/5-HT2A modulation — receptor-binding profile resembles atypical antipsychotics in vitro.