(±)-Nornicotine is a metabolite of nicotine (Item No.
16535) that acts as a neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonist. The α6 and α7 subunit-containing neuronal nAChRs are particularly responsive to nornicotine with EC
50 values of approximately 4 and 17 μM, respectively, when expressed in
Xenopus oocytes.
1 Nornicotine promotes cell migration and destabilizes cell-cell junctions in an endothelial cell line.
2 It is generally thought to be free from abuse potential, but it has been self-administered by rats.
3,4 It can be detected in urine.
5