Molecular target
GSK-3 / Inositol Phosphate Pathway
Also: Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3, IMPase · id GSK3
Lithium's primary CNS targets — glycogen synthase kinase 3 inhibition and inositol monophosphatase inhibition. The 'inositol depletion hypothesis' is the dominant explanation for lithium's mood-stabilizing action, although mechanism remains incompletely understood.
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 GSK-3 / Inositol Phosphate Pathway
These medications have GSK-3 / Inositol Phosphate Pathway 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 GSK-3 / Inositol Phosphate Pathway
Each plant below contains a named compound documented to act on GSK-3 / Inositol Phosphate Pathway. The compound and the reason for the connection are shown on every edge — a shared mechanism, not a therapeutic equivalence.
- Berberineisoquinoline alkaloid
Activates AMPK (insulin-sensitizing, lipid-lowering), provides modest DPP-4 inhibition, modulates gut microbiota, and inhibits intestinal disaccharidases — collectively the basis for its glucose-lowering effect.