Psychoactive Plant Database - Neuroactive Phytochemical Collection

1. Phytomedicine. 2024 Oct 28;135:156182. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.156182.
Online  ahead of print.

A stepwise integrated strategy to explore quality markers of Qishen Yiqi 
dripping pills against myocardial ischemia.

Liu LW(1), Tang M(2), Zhang ZB(1), Zhou PP(1), Xue LP(1), Jia QQ(1), Zhao LG(3), 
Zuo LH(4), Sun Z(5).

Author information:
(1)Department of Pharmacy, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou 
University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450052, PR China; Henan Engineering 
Research Center of Clinical Mass Spectrometry for Precision Medicine, Zhengzhou, 
Henan Province, 450052, PR China.
(2)The First Department of Orthopaedics, Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated 
to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450007, PR China.
(3)Center for Disease Prevention and Control of Baoan District, Shenzhen, 
Guangdong Province, 518101, PR China.
(4)Department of Pharmacy, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou 
University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450052, PR China; Henan Engineering 
Research Center of Clinical Mass Spectrometry for Precision Medicine, Zhengzhou, 
Henan Province, 450052, PR China. Electronic address: zuolihua2013@126.com.
(5)Department of Pharmacy, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou 
University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450052, PR China; Henan Engineering 
Research Center of Clinical Mass Spectrometry for Precision Medicine, Zhengzhou, 
Henan Province, 450052, PR China. Electronic address: sunzhi2013@163.com.

BACKGROUND: Numerous experiments and clinical practices have demonstrated the 
effectiveness of Qishen Yiqi dripping pills (QSYQ) on myocardial ischemia (MI). 
However, the bioactive ingredients and mechanisms remain unclear, leading to 
huge gaps between quality control and biological effect of QSYQ. Discovering 
quality markers (Q-markers) based on effective components is crucial for 
ensuring stable quality and clinical effectiveness of QSYQ.
PURPOSE: To explore Q-markers of QSYQ against MI by a stepwise strategy 
integrating serum pharmacochemistry, network pharmacology, metabolomics, 
quantitative analysis, and cell experiments.
METHODS: Firstly, liquid/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was applied to 
characterize chemical profiles of QSYQ in vitro and in vivo. Based on the serum 
migrating constituents, a component-target-MI interaction network was 
constructed. Subsequently, pharmacodynamics and metabolomics were conducted to 
evaluate cardioprotective effect and potential mechanism of QSYQ. Next, conjoint 
analysis of network pharmacology and metabolomics was performed to screen 
candidate Q-markers. Finally, the measurability and bioactivity were validated 
to justify their usage as Q-markers.
RESULTS: A total of 97 components were identified in QSYQ, 24 prototypes of 
which were detected in serum. The "component-target-disease" interaction network 
was constructed based on serum migrating constituents. Pharmacodynamic results 
showed that QSYQ effectively improved cardiac function, attenuated inflammatory 
cell infiltration, alleviated myocardial fibrosis, and reduced the levels of 
myocardial enzymes and oxidative stress in MI rats. Metabolomics study 
demonstrated that 59 metabolites were markedly altered in MI rats, 25 of which 
were significantly reversely regulated by QSYQ. After integrative analysis of 
network pharmacology and metabolomics, 12 components were selected as candidate 
Q-markers of QSYQ, and the contents were quantified. These candidate Q-markers 
displayed synergistic protective effects against H2O2-induced injury in H9c2 
cells. Taken together, 12 components with properties of transitivity and 
traceability, effectiveness, measurability, and compatibility contribution were 
defined as representative Q-markers of QSYQ, including Astragaloside IV, Ononin, 
Calycosin, Formononetin, Rosmarinic acid, Cryptotanshinone, Salvianolic acid A, 
Tanshinol, Ginsenoside Rb1, Ginsenoside Rg1, Nerolidol, and Santalol.
CONCLUSION: In this study, a novel stepwise integrated strategy was presented 
for discovering Q-markers related to therapeutic effects of traditional Chinese 
medicine prescriptions. Twelve comprehensive and representative Q-markers of 
QSYQ were identified for the first time to improve its quality control.

Copyright © 2024 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.156182
PMID: 39488103

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.


2. Food Sci Nutr. 2024 Aug 15;12(10):7913-7923. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.4374.
eCollection  2024 Oct.

Characterization of the volatile components in the processing of Citri 
Exocarpium Rubrum black tea based on HS-SPME and GC/MS.

Zhou Q(1), Liang D(1), Ling C(1), Gao L(1), Ling Z(2).

Author information:
(1)Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Resources Innovation and 
Utilization Tea Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences 
Guangzhou Guangdong China.
(2)Pingyuan Yuanshan Lake Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. Meizhou Guangdong 
China.

Citri Exocarpium Rubrum black tea (CER tea) is a novel blend tea infusion 
combining tea and CER. Due to its potential health benefits and unique flavor, 
it has gained popularity among consumers. Nevertheless, the aroma 
characteristics and key odorants of it remain to be distinguished and cognized. 
The HS-SPME and GC/MS techniques were employed to analyze the alterations in 
volatile constituents throughout the critical stages of CER tea production. A 
total of 200 chemical compounds exhibited notable disparities during the 
processing procedures. Among them, terpenes and esters were the most abundant 
compounds in CER tea, which might be the key material basis for the aroma 
quality of CER tea. It is worth noting that 124 metabolites were significantly 
increased in the kneading stage and drying stage, including benzeneacet 
aldehyde, trans-nerolidol, and D-limonene, with contained floral and fruity 
odors, which might be closely related to the aroma of CER tea. Monoterpenes 
might be important contributors to the aroma of CER tea. This study provided a 
theoretical basis for the quality improvement of CER tea.

© 2024 The Author(s). Food Science & Nutrition published by Wiley Periodicals 
LLC.

DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.4374
PMCID: PMC11521720
PMID: 39479602

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


3. Biomedicines. 2024 Oct 9;12(10):2285. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines12102285.

The Effect of Nerolidol on Renal Dysfunction following Bilateral Ureteral 
Obstruction.

Toumi HR(1), Sallabi SM(1), Lubbad L(1), Al-Salam S(2), Hammad FT(1).

Author information:
(1)Department of Surgery, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, United Arab 
Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 17666, United Arab Emirates.
(2)Department of Pathology, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, United Arab 
Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 17666, United Arab Emirates.

Background/Objectives: Obstructive uropathy is a common cause of renal 
impairment. Recently, there has been a burgeoning interest in exploring natural 
products as potential alternative remedies for many conditions due to their low 
toxicity, affordability and wide availability. Methods: We investigated the 
effect of nerolidol in a rat model of bilateral ureteral obstruction (BUO) 
injury. Nerolidol, dissolved in a vehicle, was administered orally as a single 
daily dose of 200 mg/kg to Wistar rats. Sham group (n = 12) underwent sham 
surgery, whereas the BUO (n = 12) and BUO/NR groups (n = 12) underwent 
reversible 24-h BUO and received the vehicle or nerolidol, respectively. The 
treatment started 9 days prior to the BUO/sham surgery and continued for 3 days 
after reversal. Renal functions were assessed before starting the treatment, 
just prior to the intervention and 3 days after BUO reversal. Results: Neither 
nerolidol nor the vehicle affected the basal renal functions. Nerolidol resulted 
in a significant attenuation in the BUO-induced alterations in renal functional 
parameters such as serum creatinine and urea, creatinine clearance and urinary 
albumin-creatinine ratio. Nerolidol also attenuated the changes in several 
markers associated with renal injury, inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative 
stress and mitigated the histological alterations. Conclusions: The findings of 
this study demonstrated the potent reno-protective effects of nerolidol in 
mitigating the adverse renal effects of bilateral ureteral obstruction. This is 
attributed to its anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, anti-apoptotic and 
anti-oxidant properties. These effects were reflected in the partial recovery of 
renal functions and histological features. These findings may have potential 
therapeutic implications.

DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12102285
PMCID: PMC11505435
PMID: 39457599

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


4. PLoS One. 2024 Oct 25;19(10):e0310298. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0310298. 
eCollection 2024.

Anabasis setifera leaf extract from arid habitat: A treasure trove of bioactive 
phytochemicals with potent antimicrobial, anticancer, and antioxidant 
properties.

Abdelaziz AM(1), A Abdel-Maksoud M(2), Fatima S(3), Almutairi S(2), Kiani BH(4), 
Hashem AH(1).

Author information:
(1)Faculty of Science, Botany and Microbiology Department, Al-Azhar University, 
Cairo, Egypt.
(2)Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, 
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
(3)Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, College of Applied Medical 
Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
(4)Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 
Worcester, Massachuesetts, United States of America.

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the biological activities of 
Anabasis setifera extract, including its antimicrobial, anticancer, and 
antioxidant properties. In the current study, Anabasis setifera leaves extract 
was evaluated for antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidant activities and 
phytochemical analyses. Ethyl acetate extract of Anabasis setifera (EA-AS) 
exhibited promising antimicrobial activity toward Escherichia coli, 
Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, Bacillus subtilis, Candida 
albicans, Aspergillus brasiliensis, Aspergillus fumigatus with MICs 62.5, 125, 
62.5, 31.25, 62.5, 125 and 125 μg/mL respectively. Moreover, EA-AS showed 
anticancer activity at safe concentrations, where IC50 were 36.4 and 44 μg/mL 
toward Hep-G2 and MCF-7 cancerous cell lines. EA-AS was found to contain 55 
significant compounds identified through gas chromatography mass 
spectrophotometry (GCMS). The most abundant compounds were 
1,4-dimethoxy-6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-5-benzocycloheptenone (26.04%), 
hexa-2,4-diyn-1-ylbenzene (8.40%), dihydrobenzo[b]fluoranthene (6.10%), 
ethanone, 1-[2,3-dihydro-2-(1-methylethenyl)-5-benzofuranyl (6.10%), and 
valerenol (4.08%). GC mass analysis confirmed the antioxidant properties of AS 
by detecting several compounds with antioxidant activity, including 
hexa-2,4-diyn-1-ylbenzene, nerolidol, spathulenol, -naphthalenem ethanol, 
decahydro-4-trimethyl-8-methylene, hexadecenoic acid, tremetone, 
desmethoxyencecalin, heptadecyn-1-ol, thunbergol, hexadecanol, dotriacontane, 
taylorione, ligulatin, retinoic acid, and falcarinol. The analysis of EA-AS 
reveals that it is a rich source of valuable phytochemicals: total Phenolic 
Content: a promising 4,264 μg/mL /, suggesting substantial biological and 
pharmacological potential. Total tannin content: 391.17 μg/mL, indicating 
potential applications in industries like nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and 
cosmetics. Total flavonoid content exceptionally high at 5,163 μg/mL, while the 
total alkaloid content measured 1,036.26 μg/mL. Additionally, EA-AS demonstrated 
antioxidant activity with an EC50 of 30.6 μg/mL. In conclusion, the 
comprehensive analysis of the EA-AS reveals its immense potential as a rich 
source of valuable phytochemicals with diverse bioactivities, warranting further 
in-depth studies to unlock its full pharmaceutical and commercial prospects. Our 
results suggest substantial biological and pharmacological prospects for EA-AS 
as a promising antimicrobial, anticancer, and potent antioxidant.

Copyright: © 2024 Abdelaziz et al. This is an open access article distributed 
under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits 
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the 
original author and source are credited.

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0310298
PMCID: PMC11508485
PMID: 39453934 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

Conflict of interest statement: The authors have declared that no competing 
interests exist.


5. Pharmacol Rep. 2024 Oct 22. doi: 10.1007/s43440-024-00672-8. Online ahead of 
print.

Acyclic sesquiterpenes nerolidol and farnesol: mechanistic insights into their 
neuroprotective potential.

Singh A(1), Singh L(2).

Author information:
(1)University Institute of Pharma Sciences, Chandigarh University, Mohali, 
Punjab, 140413, India.
(2)University Institute of Pharma Sciences, Chandigarh University, Mohali, 
Punjab, 140413, India. lovedeep992s@gmail.com.

Sesquiterpenes are a class of organic compounds found in plants, fungi, and some 
insects. They are characterized by the presence of three isoprene units, 
resulting in a molecular formula that typically contains 15 carbon atoms 
(C₁₅H₂₄). Nerolidol and farnesol are both sesquiterpene alcohols present in the 
essential oils of numerous plants. They have drawn attention due to their 
potential neuroprotective properties. Nerolidol and farnesol are structural 
isomers, specifically geometric isomers, haring the same molecular formula 
(C₁₅H₂₄O) but differing in the spatial arrangement of their atoms. This 
variation in structure may contribute to their distinct biological activities. 
Scientific evidence suggests that nerolidol and farnesol exhibit antioxidant and 
anti-inflammatory characteristics which are crucial for neuroprotection. 
Nerolidol has been specifically noted for its ability to alleviate conditions 
such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, encephalomyelitis, depression, 
and anxiety by modulating inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways. Moreover, 
research indicates that both nerolidol and farnesol may modulate the Nrf-2/HO-1 
antioxidant signaling pathway to mitigate oxidative stress-induced neurological 
damage. Activation of Nrf-2/HO-1 signaling cascade promotes cell survival and 
enhances the brain's ability to resist various insults. Nerolidol has also been 
reported to alleviate neuroinflammation by inhibiting the TLR-4/NF-κB and 
COX-2/NF-κB inflammatory signaling pathway. Besides, this nerolidol also 
modulates BDNF/TrkB/CREB signaling pathway to improve neuronal health. To date, 
limited research has delved into the anti-inflammatory properties of farnesol 
concerning neurodegenerative diseases. Further investigation is warranted to 
comprehensively elucidate the mechanisms underlying its action and potential 
therapeutic uses in neuroprotection. Initial observations indicate that farnesol 
exhibits promising prospects as a natural agent for safeguarding brain 
functions. Henceforth, drawing upon existing literature elucidating the 
neuroprotective attributes of nerolidol and farnesol, the current review 
endeavors to provide a detailed analysis of their mechanistic underpinnings in 
neuroprotection.

© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Maj Institute of Pharmacology 
Polish Academy of Sciences.

DOI: 10.1007/s43440-024-00672-8
PMID: 39436564