Nine strychnine derivatives including neostrychnine, strychnidine, isostrychnine, 21,22-dihydro-21-hydroxy-22-oxo-strychnine, and several hydrogenated analogs were synthesized, and their antagonistic activities at human 1 and 1 glycine receptors were evaluated. Isostrychnine has shown the best pharmacological profile exhibiting an IC50 value of 1.6M at 1 glycine receptors and 3.7-fold preference towards the 1 subtype. SAR Analysis indicates that the lactam moiety and the C(21)C(22) bond in strychnine are essential structural features for its high antagonistic potency at glycine receptors