Schild Analysis of the Interaction between Parthenolide and Cocaine Suggests an Allosteric Relationship for Their Effects on Planarian Motility.

The freshwater planarian is an emerging animal model in neuroscience due to its centralized nervous system that closely parallels closely parallels the nervous system of vertebrates. Cocaine, an abused drug, is the 'founding member' of the local anesthetic family. Parthenolide, a sesquiterpene lactone, acts as a behavioral and physiological antagonist of cocaine in planarians and rats, respectively.