Selected Publications

Zuarth Gonzalez, J.D.; Ragsdale, A.K.; Mukhopadhyay, S.; McCurdy, C.R.; McMahon, L.R.; Obeng, S.; Wilkerson, J.L. (2025) Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine: Bidirectional effects on breathing in rats. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. Nov;392(11):103720. doi: 10.1016/j.jpet.2025.103720. Epub 2025 Sep 22. PMID: 41106041.

Tareq, S.; Ewida, H.A.; Zoubi, S.; Benson, H.; Patel, D.; Diab, H.; Patra, S.; Redrovan, D.; Nozohouri, E.; Bassani, T.B.; Cardoso, A.C.; Frimpong-Manson, K.; Khodavirdilou, L.; Aziz, M.T.; Wilkerson, J.L.; Thompson, J.; Bickel, U.; Chelikani. P.K.; Farag, A.; Ahmed, M.S., (2025) Discovery of pan-EphB tyrosine kinase inhibitor for metabolic syndrome sparing EphB3 signaling in mice; Pharmacol Res., Sep;219:107900. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2025.107900. Epub 2025 Aug 5. PMID: 40769385.

Ortiz, Y.T.; Nguyen, T.; Wilkerson, J.L. (2025) Antinociceptive effects of intrathecal neuropeptide B/W receptor 1 agonists in mouse acute nociception, peripheral neuropathy, and inflammatory pain models; Pharmacol Rep., doi: 10.1007/s43440-025-00761-2. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40742652

Zuarth Gonzalez, J.D.; Mottinelli, M.; McCurdy, C.R.; de Lartigue, G.; McMahon, L.R.; & Wilkerson, J.L. (2024) Mitragynine and morphine produce dose-dependent bimodal action on food but not water intake in rats. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2024 Dec 1;327(6):R568-R579. doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.00128.2024. Epub 2024 Sep 9. PMID: 39250542.

Ortiz, Y.T.; Shamir, L.G.; McMahon, L.R.; & Wilkerson, J.L. (2024) Characterization of commercially available murine fibrosarcoma NCTC-2472 cells both in vitro and as a model of bone cancer pain in vivo. PLoS One. 2024 Aug 29;19(8):e0309398. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0309398. PMID: 39208033; PMCID: PMC11361427.

Frimpong-Manson, K.; Ortiz, Y.T.; McMahon, l.R.; & Wilkerson, J.L. (2024) Advances in Understanding Migraine Pathophysiology: A Bench to Bedside Review of Research Insights and Therapeutics. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience 17: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnmol.2024.1355281

Luque-Sanchez, K.; Felix, J.S.; Bilbrey, J.A.; Restrepo, L.; Reeves, M.; McMahon, L.R. & Wilkerson, J.L. (2023). Evaluation of novel epibatidine analogs in the rat nicotine drug discrimination assay and in the rat chronic constriction injury neuropathic pain model. Adv. Drug Alcohol Res. 3:11622. doi: 10.3389/adar.2023.11622

Ortiz, Y.T.; Bilbrey, J.A.; Felix, J.S.; Kienegger, E.A.; Mottinelli, M.; Mukhopadhyay, S.; McCurdy, C.R.; McMahon, L.R. & Wilkerson, J.L. (2023). Cannabidiol and mitragynine exhibit differential interactive effects in the attenuation of paclitaxel-induced mechanical allodynia, acute antinociception, and schedule-controlled responding in mice. Pharmacological Reports : PR, 10.1007/s43440-023-00498-w. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43440-023-00498-w

Obeng, S.; León, F.; Patel, A.; Zuarth Gonzalez, J.D.; Da Silva, L.C.; Restrepo, L.F.; Gamez-Jimenez, L.R.; Ho, N.P.; Guerrero Calvache, M.P.; Pallares, V.L.; Helmes, J.A.; Shiomitsu, S.K.; Soto, P.L.; McCurdy, C.R.; McMahon, L.R.; Wilkerson, J.L.; and Hiranita, T. (2022). Interactive Effects of µ-Opioid and Adrenergic-α2 Receptor Agonists in Rats: Pharmacological Investigation of the Primary Kratom Alkaloid Mitragynine and Its Metabolite 7-Hydroxymitragynine. . J Pharmacol Exp Ther JPET-AR-2022-001192. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1124/jpet.122.001192 PMID: 36153006

Ortiz, Y.T.; McMahon, L.R.; and Wilkerson, J.L. (2022). Medicinal Cannabis and Central Nervous System Disorders. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 13, 881810. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.881810 PMID: 35529444

Wilkerson, J.L.; Alberti, L.B.; Thakur, G.A.; Makriyannis, A; and Milligan, E.D. (2022) Peripherally administered cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2R) agonists lose anti-allodynic effects in TRPV1 cation channel knockout mice, while intrathecal CB2R agonists remain efficacious and reduce TRPV1 expression in the dorsal spinal cord and DRG from a rodent model of sciatic neuropathy. Brain Res Jan 1;1774:147721. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2021.147721. Epub 2021 Nov 10. PMID: 34774500

Bilbrey, J.A.; Felix, J. S.; McMahon, L.R.; and Wilkerson, J.L. (2021) Evaluation of the terpenes β-caryophyllene, α-terpineol, and γ-terpinene in the mouse chronic constriction injury model of neuropathic pain: possible cannabinoid receptor involvement. Psychopharm: Advance online publication. PMID: 34846548

Blanton, H.L.; Barnes, R.C.; McHann, M.C.; Bilbrey, J.A.; Wilkerson, J.L.; and Guindon, J. (2021) Sex differences and the endocannabinoid system in pain. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 202:173107. PMID: 33444598

Obeng, S†.; Wilkerson, J.L†.; Leon, F.; Reeves, M.E.; Restrepo, L.F.; Gamez-Jimenez, L.R.; Patel, A.; Pennington, A.E.; Taylor, V.A.; Ho, N.P.; Braun, T.; Fortner, J.D.; Crowley, M.L.; Williamson, M.R.; Pallares, V.L.; Mottinelli, M.; Lopera-Londono, C.; McCurdy, C.R.; McMahon, L.R.; and Hiranita, T. (2021). Pharmacological Comparison of Mitragynine and 7- Hydroxymitragynine: In Vitro Affinity and Efficacy for Mu-Opioid Receptor and Opioid-Like Behavioral Effects in Rats. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 376(3), 410–427. PMID: 33384303
Wilkerson, J.L.; Jiang, J; Felix, J.S.; Bray J.K.; da Silva, L.; Gharaibeh, R.Z.; McMahon, L.R.; and Schmittgen, T.D. (2020) Alterations in mouse spinal cord and sciatic nerve microRNAs after the chronic constriction injury (CCI) model of neuropathic pain. Neurosci Letters 731, 135029. PMID: 32380144

Wilkerson, J.L.; Deba, F.; Crowley, M.L.; Hamouda, A.K.; and McMahon, L.R. (2020) Advances in the In vitro and In vivo pharmacology of Alpha4beta2 nicotinic receptor positive allosteric modulators. [published online ahead of print, 2020 Feb 12]. Neuropharm. 168:108008. PMID: 32113032

Moerke, M.J.; McMahon, L.R.; and Wilkerson, J.L. (2020) More than smoke and patches: the quest for pharmacotherapies to treat tobacco use disorder. Pharmacological Reviews 72(2):527-557. PMID: 3220533

Hiranita, T.; Leon, F.; Felix, J.S.; Restrepo, L.F.; Reeves, M.E.; Pennington, A.E.; Obeng, S.; Avery, B.A.; McCurdy, C.R.; McMahon, L.R.; and Wilkerson, J.L. (2019) The effects of mitragynine and morphine on schedule-controlled responding and antinociception in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 236: 2725-2734. PMID: 31098655

Wilkerson, J.L; Schulze, D.R.; and McMahon, L.R. (2019) Tolerance and dependence to Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol in rhesus monkeys: Activity assessments. PLoS One. 14(3):e0209947. PMID: 30861005

Wilkerson, J.L.; Curry, Z.A.; Kinlow, P.; Hsu, K.L.; van der Stelt, M.; Cravatt, B.F.; and Lichtman, A.H. (2018) Characterization of the marble burying assay as an effective measure of pain depressed behavior in mice. Pain 159(6):1155-65. PMID: 29528965

Wilkerson, J.L.; Ghosh, S.; Mustafa, M.A.; Abdullah, R.A.; Cabrera, R; Maldonado, R.L.; Cravatt, B.F.; and Lichtman, A.H. (2017) The Endocannabinoid Hydrolysis Inhibitor SA-57 Augments the Antinociceptive Effects of Morphine and Reduces Heroin Seeking Behavior in Mice. Neuropharm 114:156-167. PMID: 27890602

Wilkerson, J.L.; Ghosh, S.; Bagdas, D.; Mason, B.L.; Crowe, M.S.; Hsu, K.L.; Wise, L.E.; Kinsey, S.G.; Damaj, M.I.; Cravatt, B.F.; and Lichtman, A.H. (2016) Diacylglycerol lipase beta inhibition reverses nociceptive behavior in mouse models of inflammatory and neuropathic pain. Br J Pharmacol 173(10):1678-1692. PMID: 26915789

Wilkerson, J.L.; Niphakis, M.J.; Grim, T.W.; Mustafa, M.A.; Abdullah, R.A.; Dewey, W.L.; Akbarali, H.; Banks, M.L.; Wise, L.E.; Cravatt, B.F.; and Lichtman, A.H. (2016) Monoacylglycerol lipase inhibition produces opioid sparing effects in a mouse model of neuropathic pain. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 357(1):145-56. PMID: 26791602

Wilkerson, J.L.; Gentry, K.R.; Dengler, E.C.; Wallace, J.A.; Kerwin, A.A.; Kuhn, M.N.; Alberti, L.B.; Armijo, L.M.; Thakur, G.A.; Makriyannis, A.; Milligan, E.D. (2012) Intrathecal cannabilactone CB2R agonist, AM1710, controls pathological pain and restores basal cytokines. Pain 153: 1091-1106. PMID: 22425445