Psychoactive Plant Database - Neuroactive Phytochemical Collection

1. Zhongguo Yi Xue Ke Xue Yuan Xue Bao. 2024 Oct;46(5):653-658. doi: 
10.3881/j.issn.1000-503X.16013.

[Effect and Mechanism of Uric Acid in Regulating Larval Growth and Development 
of Drosophila Melanogaster].

[Article in Chinese; Abstract available in Chinese from the publisher]

Zhang RD(1), Qiu HB(1)(2), Wang JT(3), Guan BS(1)(2), Bai X(4), Yin XL(1)(2).

Author information:
(1)School of Public Health,Jiamusi University,Jiamusi,Heilongjiang 154007,China.
(2)Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory of Gout Research,Jiamusi 
University,Jiamusi,Heilongjiang 154007,China.
(3)Department of Anatomy and Histoembryology,School of Basic Medicine 
Sciences,Jiamusi University,Jiamusi,Heilongjiang 154007,China.
(4)Department of Pharmacy,The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical 
University,Harbin 150086,China.

Objective To explore the effect and mechanism of uric acid (UA) in regulating 
the larval growth and development of Drosophila melanogaster. Methods A total of 
1350 newly hatched first-instar larvae of wild-type Drosophila melanogaster 
(W1118) were collected,and the Drosophila melanogaster model of hyperuricemia 
was constructed with a high purine diet.The larvae were assigned into three 
groups (n=150):control (standard corn meal medium),low-dose adenine (corn meal 
medium containing 0.05% adenine),and high-dose adenine (corn meal medium 
containing 0.10% adenine),and two parallel groups were set up.The growth and 
development of larvae in each group was observed,and the UA and hormone levels 
were measured.In addition,the expression levels of genes involved in growth and 
development were determined. Results Compared with the control group,the low- 
and high-dose adenine groups showed elevated UA levels (both P<0.001) and 
prolonged developmental period (P=0.024,P<0.001).The high-dose adenine group 
showed decreased survival rate,pupation rate,and eclosion rate and elevated 
levels of juvenile hormone (JH) and 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) (all P<0.001).The 
PCR results showed that compared with the control group,high-dose adenine 
upregulated the mRNA levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS),forkhead box O 
(FOXO),and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) while downregulating the mRNA 
levels of Sestrin,mTOR complex 1(mTORC1),and AMP-activated protein kinase (all 
P<0.001). Conclusion High concentrations of UA may promote the expression of 
ROS/FOXO/mTORC1/mTOR signaling pathway by regulating the levels of JH and 
20E,thereby inhibiting the larval growth and development of Drosophila 
melanogaster.

Publisher: 目的 探讨尿酸(UA)对果蝇幼虫生长发育的影响及其机制。方法 
收集刚孵化的野生型黑腹果蝇(W1118)1龄幼虫1350只,采用高嘌呤饮食构建高尿酸血症果蝇模型,分为对照组(标准玉米粉培养基)、低浓度干预组(含0.05%腺嘌呤的玉米粉培养基)和高浓度干预组(含0.10%腺嘌呤的玉米粉培养基),每组150只,另设2个平行实验组,观察各组幼虫的生长发育情况,测定果蝇体内UA和激素水平,以及生长发育相关基因的表达情况。结果 
与对照组比较,低浓度干预组和高浓度干预组果蝇体内UA水平均显著增高(P均<0.001)、果蝇幼虫发育时间显著延长(P=0.024,P<0.001),高浓度干预组果蝇幼虫的生存率、蛹化率、羽化率均显著降低(P均<0.001),而果蝇幼虫体内保幼激素(JH)、20-羟基蜕皮甾酮(20E)水平均显著升高(P均<0.001)。PCR结果显示,与对照组比较,高浓度干预组果蝇幼虫体内活性氧(ROS)、叉头框O亚型(FOXO)、哺乳动物雷帕霉素靶蛋白(mTOR)mRNA的表达水平显著增高,应激诱导蛋白Sestrin、mTOR复合物1(mTORC1)、AMP活化的蛋白激酶mRNA的表达水平显著降低(P均<0.001)。结论 
高浓度UA可能通过调节果蝇体内JH、20E的表达,促进ROS/FOXO/mTORC1/mTOR信号通路的表达水平,从而抑制果蝇幼虫的生长发育。.

DOI: 10.3881/j.issn.1000-503X.16013
PMID: 39502046 [Indexed for MEDLINE]


2. Pestic Biochem Physiol. 2024 Nov;205:106116. doi:
10.1016/j.pestbp.2024.106116.  Epub 2024 Sep 2.

Myosuppressin signaling deficiency affects ovarian development via repression of 
20-hydroxyecdysone biosynthesis in Grapholita molesta.

Cheng J(1), Liu JK(2), Wang TL(2), Wei W(2), Xiang HM(1), Li XW(1), Ma RY(3), 
Zhao ZG(4).

Author information:
(1)College of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, 
Shanxi, China; Shanxi Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management in 
Agriculture, Taiyuan 030031, Shanxi, China.
(2)College of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, 
Shanxi, China.
(3)College of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, 
Shanxi, China; Shanxi Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management in 
Agriculture, Taiyuan 030031, Shanxi, China. Electronic address: 
mary@sxau.edu.cn.
(4)College of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, 
Shanxi, China; Shanxi Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management in 
Agriculture, Taiyuan 030031, Shanxi, China. Electronic address: nice2me@126.com.

The steroid 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) is crucial in regulating ovarian 
development. However, the neuropeptidergic mechanisms underlying ovarian 
development via 20E are underexplored. In this study, we investigated 
myosuppressin (MS) signaling in the dominant fruit pest Grapholita molesta and 
revealed that MS signaling is necessary for 20E biosynthesis during ovarian 
maturation. Pharmacological and molecular docking analyses confirmed that the 
GmMS mature peptide could activate its receptor GmMSR. Additionally, transcript 
expression analyses of GmMS and GmMSR showed different distribution patterns in 
adults. Notably, GmMSR was also detected in the ovaries of sexually mature 
females. RNAi-mediated dysfunction of GmMS or GmMSR specifically decreased 
fertility in females. Furthermore, GmMS or GmMSR knockdown decreased 
vitellogenin synthesis and uptake, thereby delaying ovarian development. 
RNA-seq, gene expression validation, and hormone quantification further revealed 
that GmMS signaling depletion blocked 20E biosynthesis in the ovary. Finally, 
exogenous MS rescued most dsGmMS- or dsGmMSR-induced ovarian defects and 20E 
titers. These results suggest that MS/MSR-to-20E signaling regulates ovarian 
development through vitellogenesis, providing a new perspective on the 
development of neuroendocrine targets that suppress pest field populations.

Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2024.106116
PMID: 39477577 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

Conflict of interest statement: Declaration of competing interest The authors 
declare no conflicts of interest.


3. Sci Total Environ. 2024 Oct 31;955:177087. doi:
10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177087.  Online ahead of print.

Environmental pollution by plasticizers and the relationship to vector dengue 
mosquito Aedes aegypti: Bisphenol A (BPA) affect the development and viral 
immune pathway response.

Valeria V(1), Jorge CC(2), Alejandra ML(3), Claudia GC(4), Humberto LM(5), Jorge 
MM(6).

Author information:
(1)Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, 
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, Ciudad de Mèxico 04510, 
Mexico. Electronic address: valeria.vargaspl@iibiomedicas.unam.mx.
(2)Centro de investigaciones Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional 
de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62100, Mexico. Electronic address: 
jorge.cime@insp.mx.
(3)Centro de investigaciones Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional 
de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62100, Mexico; Facultad de Ciencias 
Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Morelos 
62210, Mexico. Electronic address: alejandra.moyo@uaem.edu.mx.
(4)Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, 
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, Ciudad de Mèxico 04510, 
Mexico. Electronic address: clausgaray@iibiomedicas.unam.mx.
(5)Centro de investigaciones Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional 
de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62100, Mexico. Electronic address: 
humberto@inps.mx.
(6)Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, 
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, Ciudad de Mèxico 04510, 
Mexico. Electronic address: jmontor66@iibiomedicas.unam.mx.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widely used industrial chemical found in various 
products, leading to human exposure through dietary and non-dietary sources. It 
acts as an endocrine disruptor, affecting reproductive processes in vertebrates 
by binding to estrogen receptors. While its effects on vertebrates have been 
extensively studied, much less is known about its impact on invertebrates. This 
study investigates the effects of BPA on the development and immune response of 
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which are important vectors for arboviral diseases, 
such as dengue, an emergent viral disease worldwide. Artificial aquatic niches 
(AAN) were sampled, and BPA concentrations were quantified. Ae. aegypti larvae 
were exposed to varying BPA concentrations, and their development, fecundity, 
fertility, and immune response were assessed. Results show delayed development 
and decreased emergence of mosquitoes exposed to BPA. Females exposed to BPA 
exhibited reduced oviposition while hatching rates remained unaffected. 
Furthermore, BPA exposure altered the expression of immune response genes in 
adult mosquitoes, with differential effects observed between sexes. This 
suggests that BPA exposure during early developmental stages can modulate the 
antiviral immune response in adult mosquitoes, possibly through the 
20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) signaling pathway. Overall, this study highlights the 
potential impact of BPA on the development and immune function of mosquito 
vectors, with implications for vector competence and disease transmission.

Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177087
PMID: 39461527

Conflict of interest statement: Declaration of competing interest The authors 
declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal 
relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this 
paper.


4. Biomolecules. 2024 Oct 11;14(10):1285. doi: 10.3390/biom14101285.

Chemical and Biological Characterization of Metabolites from Silene viridiflora 
Using Mass Spectrometric and Cell-Based Assays.

Mamadalieva NZ(1)(2)(3)(4), Koval A(4), Dusmuratov MM(5), Hussain H(6), Katanaev 
VL(4).

Author information:
(1)Institute of the Chemistry of Plant Substances, Uzbekistan Academy of 
Sciences, Mirzo Ulugbek Str. 77, Tashkent 100170, Uzbekistan.
(2)Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers, 
National Research University, Kori Niyazov Str. 39, Tashkent 100000, Uzbekistan.
(3)Department of Pharmacy and Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Alfraganus 
University, Tashkent 100190, Uzbekistan.
(4)Translational Research Center in Oncohaematology, Department of Cell 
Physiology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211 
Geneva, Switzerland.
(5)Department of Organic Synthesis, Faculty of Industrial Pharmacy, Tashkent 
Pharmaceutical Institute, Oybek Str. 45, Tashkent 100015, Uzbekistan.
(6)International Joint Laboratory of Medicinal Food Development and Health 
Products Creation, Biological Engineering Technology Innovation Center of 
Shandong Province, Heze Branch of Qilu University of Technology (Shandong 
Academy of Sciences), Heze 274000, China.

A comprehensive metabolite profiling of the medicinal plant Silene viridiflora 
using an UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS method is described for the first time. A total of 71 
compounds were identified and annotated, the most common of which were 
flavonoids, triterpene glycosides, and ecdysteroids. The three major compounds 
schaftoside, 26-hydroxyecdysone, and silviridoside can be chosen as the markers 
for the assessment of the quality of S. viridiflora preparations. The methanol 
extract and a variety of metabolites identified in S. viridiflora were screened 
for their cytotoxic and Wnt pathway-inhibiting activities against 
triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), the deadliest form of cancer in women. 
2-Deoxy-20-hydroxyecdysone with submicromolar IC50 was identified as a result. 
The structure-activity relationship derived from the data from the in vitro 
proliferation assay showed that the hydroxyl group present at position C-2 of 
steroid core reduces the ecdysteroids' cytotoxicity against cancer cells.

DOI: 10.3390/biom14101285
PMCID: PMC11505650
PMID: 39456218 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.


5. J Biol Chem. 2024 Oct 16:107898. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107898. Online ahead
of  print.

Novel regulation pathway of eclosion hormones in Tribolium castaneum by distinct 
transcription factors through the initiation of 20-Hydroxyecdysone.

Zhou H(1), Lei G(2), Li Y(1), Chen P(1), Liu Z(1), Li C(1), Li B(3).

Author information:
(1)College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China.
(2)Institute of Plant Protection, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 
Fuzhou 350013, China.
(3)College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China. 
Electronic address: libin@njnu.edu.cn.

Eclosion hormone (EH) is not only a key trigger of insect ecdysis, but is also 
involved in the regulation of important physiological processes such as 
development, diapause, metamorphosis and reproduction. EH is an ideal target for 
RNAi treatment and prevention of the Tribolium castaneum. However, two EH genes 
in Tribolium castaneum demonstrate distinct replication and functional 
conversion relationships, and the mechanisms of transcriptional regulation of 
eclosion hormone remain largely unexplored and poorly understood. In this study, 
the activity of highly active promoter fragments and potential transcription 
factors of TcEH and TcEHL were identified using the Dual-Luciferase reporter 
system and TANSFAC. TcSlbo and TcCAD were revealed to be important transcription 
factors for TcEH and TcEHL, respectively. Knockdown of TcSlbo failed to slough 
off the old epidermis of Tribolium castaneum and prevented them from developing 
into adults. Furthermore, we demonstrated for the first time that 
20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) affects the expression of TcEH and TcEHL by regulating 
the transcriptional activities of TcSlbo and TcCAD. This study provides new 
insights into the transcription regulation of TcEH and TcEHL, their roles in 
insect growth and development, and the involvement of 20E in eclosion 
regulation, offering potential molecular targets for future pest management 
strategies.

Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107898
PMID: 39424142

Conflict of interest statement: Conflict of interest The authors declare that 
they have no conflicts of interest with the contents of this article.