Psychoactive Plant Database - Neuroactive Phytochemical Collection

1. RSC Adv. 2024 Aug 16;14(34):25079-25092. doi: 10.1039/d4ra03777d. eCollection 
2024 Aug 5.

Preparation, acid modification and catalytic activity of kaolinite nanotubes in 
α-pinene oxide isomerization.

Sidorenko AY(1), Khalimonyuk TV(1), Mamatkodirov BD(2), Yakubov YY(2), Aho A(3), 
Sviridova TV(4), Kouznetsova TF(5), Adizov BZ(2), Ibragimov AB(2), Murzin DY(3), 
Gu Y(6), Agabekov VE(1).

Author information:
(1)Institute of Chemistry of New Materials of National Academy of Sciences of 
Belarus 220084, Skaryna str, 36 220141 Minsk Belarus Sidorenko@ichnm.by +375 17 
379 63 08.
(2)Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of 
the Republic of Uzbekistan 100170, Mirzo-Ulugbek str., 77-a Tashkent Uzbekistan.
(3)Åbo Akademi University Henriksgatan 2 20500 Turku/Åbo Finland dmurzin@abo.fi 
+358 2 215 4985.
(4)Faculty of Chemistry, Belarusian State University 220050 Leningradskaya str., 
14 Minsk Belarus.
(5)Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry of NAS of Belarus 220072, 
Surganov str, 9/1 Minsk Belarus.
(6)Huazhong University of Science and Technology 103 7 Luoyu Road, Hongshan 
District Wuhan 430074 China.

In this work kaolinite nanotubes (KNT) were obtained from commercial kaolin 
AKF-78 (Uzbekistan) by starting material sequential intercalation by DMSO and 
methanol, followed by treatment with a cetyltrimethylammonium chloride solution. 
Acid functionalization of KNT for catalytic applications was successfully 
performed for the first time using a two-step treatment with piranha solution 
(H2SO4-H2O2), which resulted in the removal of organic impurities as synthetic 
artifacts and an increase in specific surface area by 3.9 times (up to 159 m2 
g-1), pore volume by 1.5 times (0.23 cm3 g-1) and acidity by 4.1 times (49 μmol 
g-1). The values of the porous structure parameters and concentration of acid 
sites in processed kaolinite nanotubes practically corresponded to those for 
natural halloysite nanotubes (HNT) modified in the same way. Both types of 
materials demonstrated catalytic activity in the model reaction of α-pinene 
oxide isomerization in various solvents, including green ones, with selectivity 
to trans-carveol up to 55-57% and campholenic aldehyde of 50-51%, depending on 
the medium used. A satisfactory correlation between solvent polarity and 
selectivity was also observed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first 
example of using modified kaolinite nanotubes per se as a catalyst. Overall, 
treatment of KNT with piranha solution provides not only catalytic activity but 
also the opportunity for further functionalization and application of these 
nanomaterials.

This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.

DOI: 10.1039/d4ra03777d
PMCID: PMC11328512
PMID: 39157207

Conflict of interest statement: There are no conflicts to declare.


2. Plants (Basel). 2024 Jul 22;13(14):2003. doi: 10.3390/plants13142003.

Essential Oil Content, Composition and Free Radical Scavenging Activity from 
Different Plant Parts of Wild Sea Fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.) in Montenegro.

Šunić L(1), Ilić ZS(1), Stanojević L(2), Milenković L(1), Lalević D(1), 
Stanojević J(2), Milenković A(2), Cvetković D(2).

Author information:
(1)Faculty of Agriculture, University of Priština in Kosovska Mitrovica, 38219 
Lešak, Serbia.
(2)Faculty of Technology, University of Niš, Bulevar Oslobodenja 124, 16000 
Leskovac, Serbia.

This study was conducted to determine the sea fennel essential oil (SFEO) yield, 
composition, and antioxidant activity of leaves, stem, inflorescences, and 
umbels from seeds of wild sea fennel (SF) (Crithmum maritimum L.) from the 
Montenegro coast. The chemical composition of isolated essential oil was 
determined by GC/MS and GC/FID analyses. The antioxidant activity was determined 
using the DPPH assay. The maximum SFEO yield was found in umbels with seeds 
(4.77 mL/100 g p.m.). The leaves contained less EO (0.52 mL/100 g p.m.) than 
immature inflorescence (0.83 mL/100 g p.m.) The minimum EO content was found in 
the stem (0.08%). Twenty components were isolated from SFEO leaves, twenty-four 
from inflorescence, thirty-four components from the stem, and twenty-one 
components from umbels with seeds. Limonene (62.4-72.0%), γ-terpinene 
(9.5-14.0%), α-pinene (1.4-5.8%), and sabinene (1-6.5%) were found to be the 
main components of the SFEO from monoterpene hydrocarbons as dominant grouped 
components (86% to 98.1%). SF plant parts showed differences in chemical 
profiles, especially in specific and low-represented ingredients. (E)-anethole 
(4.4%), fenchone (0.5%), and trans-carveol (0.2%) were present only in umbel 
with seeds, while the β-longipipene (0.5%), (E)-caryophyllene (0.5%), and 
(2E)-decenal (0.2%) were found only in the stems. The degree of DPPH radical 
neutralization increased with incubation time. The SFEO isolated from the stems 
showed stronger antioxidant activity during the incubation times of 20 and 40 
min (EC50 value of 5.30 mg/mL and 5.04 mg/mL, respectively) in comparison to the 
SFEO isolated from the other plant parts. The lowest antioxidant activity was 
obtained with the SFEO leaves (155.25 mg/mL and 58.30 mg/mL, respectively). This 
study indicates that SFEO possesses significant antioxidant activities and is 
animportant component in the food and pharmaceutical industries. It is important 
to preserve the existing gene pool and biodiversity with rational use SF for the 
extraction of high-quality essential oils.

DOI: 10.3390/plants13142003
PMCID: PMC11280542
PMID: 39065529

Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare that there are no conflicts 
of interest that may have influenced either the conducting or presentation of 
the research.


3. J Ethnopharmacol. 2024 Nov 15;334:118542. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118542. Epub
 2024 Jul 9.

Ethnobotany, phytochemistry, pharmacology and quality control of Peucedanum 
decursivum (Miq.) Maxim: A critical review.

Tao Y(1), Pu J(2), Wang P(3).

Author information:
(1)College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, 
Hangzhou, 310032, China. Electronic address: taoyi1985@zjut.edu.cn.
(2)College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, 
Hangzhou, 310032, China. Electronic address: 211122070095@zjut.edu.cn.
(3)College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, 
Hangzhou, 310032, China. Electronic address: wangping45@zjut.edu.cn.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Dried roots of Peucedanum decursivum, a 
traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has historically respiratory diseases such 
as cough, thick phlegm, headache, fever, and gynecological diseases, rheumatoid 
arthritis, and nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
AIM OF THE STUDY: Made an endeavor to evaluate the research trajectory of P. 
decursivum, comprehensively discern its developmental status, and offer a 
guideline for future investigations.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A meticulous search of literatures and books from 1955 to 
2024 via databases like PubMed, Web of Science and CNKI was conducted, including 
topics and keywords of " P. decursivum" "Angelica decursivum" and "Zihua 
Qianhu".
RESULTS: P. decursivum and its prescriptions have traditionally been used for 
treating phlegm-heat cough, wind-heat cough, gastrointestinal diseases, pain 
relief and so on. It contains 234 identified compounds, encompassing coumarins, 
terpenes, volatile oils, phenolic acids, fatty acids and derivatives. It 
exhibits diverse pharmacological activities, including anti-asthmatic, 
anti-inflammatory, antioxidant effects, anti-hypertensive, anti-diabetic, 
anti-Alzheimer, and anti-cancer properties, primarily attributed to coumarins. 
Microscopic identification, HPLC fingerprinting, and bioinformatics 
identification are the primary methods currently used for the quality control.
CONCLUSION: P. decursivum demonstrates anti-asthmatic, anti-inflammatory, and 
antioxidant effects, aligning with its traditional use. However, experimental 
validation of its efficacy against phlegm and viruses is needed. Additionally, 
analgesic effects mentioned in historical texts lack modern pharmacological 
studies. Numerous isolated compounds exhibit highly valuable medicinal 
properties. Future research can delve into exploring these substances further. 
Rigorous of heavy metal contamination, particularly Cd and Pb, is necessary. 
Simultaneously, investigating its pharmacokinetics and toxicity in humans is 
crucial for the safety.

Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118542
PMID: 38992404 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

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. Molecules. 2024 Apr 25;29(9):1970. doi: 10.3390/molecules29091970.

Chemical Characterization of the Essential Oil Compositions of Mentha spicata 
and M. longifolia ssp. cyprica from the Mediterranean Basin and Multivariate 
Statistical Analyses.

İsfendiyaroğlu H(1), Hanoğlu A(2), Yiğit Hanoğlu D(3), Alkaş FB(4), Başer 
KHC(2), Özkum Yavuz D(3).

Author information:
(1)Department of Phytotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Near East University, 
Nicosia 99138, Cyprus.
(2)Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Near East University, 
Nicosia 99138, Cyprus.
(3)Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Near East 
University, Nicosia 99138, Cyprus.
(4)Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Near East University, Nicosia 
99138, Cyprus.

This present study aims to characterize the essential oil compositions of the 
aerial parts of M. spicata L. and endemic M. longifolia ssp. cyprica (Heinr. 
Braun) Harley by using GC-FID and GC/MS analyses simultaneously. In addition, it 
aims to perform multivariate statistical analysis by comparing with the existing 
literature, emphasizing the literature published within the last two decades, 
conducted on both species growing within the Mediterranean Basin. The major 
essential oil components of M. spicata were determined as carvone (67.8%) and 
limonene (10.6%), while the major compounds of M. longifolia ssp. cyprica 
essential oil were pulegone (64.8%) and 1,8-cineole (10.0%). As a result of 
statistical analysis, three clades were determined for M. spicata: a 
carvone-rich chemotype, a carvone/trans-carveol chemotype, and a 
pulegone/menthone chemotype, with the present study result belonging to the 
carvone-rich chemotype. Carvone was a primary determinant of chemotype, along 
with menthone, pulegone, and trans-carveol. In M. longifolia, the primary 
determinants of chemotype were identified as pulegone and menthone, with three 
chemotype clades being pulegone-rich, combined menthone/pulegone, and combined 
menthone/pulegone with caryophyllene enrichment. The primary determinants of 
chemotype were menthone, pulegone, and caryophyllene. The present study result 
belongs to pulegone-rich chemotype.

DOI: 10.3390/molecules29091970
PMCID: PMC11085233
PMID: 38731461 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

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


5. J Biomol Struct Dyn. 2024 Jan 12:1-18. doi: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2303603. 
Online ahead of print.

Bioactive metabolites of licorice and thyme as potential inhibitors of Cox1 
enzyme of phytopathogens of Capsicum annuum L.: In-silico approaches.

Arora H(1), Choudhir G(1), Sengupta A(2), Sharma A(3), Sharma S(1).

Author information:
(1)Centre for Rural Development and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, 
New Delhi, India.
(2)Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Indian Institute of Technology 
(Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, India.
(3)Amity Food and Agriculture Foundation, Amity University, Noida, India.

Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (Cox1), a key enzyme, has a crucial role in 
cellular respiration in eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Generally, respiratory 
inhibitors are considered one of the types of chemical pesticides. Thyme oil and 
licorice aqueous extract have been reported to have antifungal activities 
against fungal phytopathogens of Capsicum annuum L., i.e., Colletotrichum 
capsici, Fusarium oxysporum, and Pythium aphanidermatum. The present study 
focuses on identifying the key bioactive molecules of thyme and licorice 
botanicals inhibiting the activity of the Cox1 enzymes of the above mentioned 
phytopathogens, employing the in-silico approach. From a wide range of bioactive 
molecules screened, the molecular docking indicated trans-carveol, carvacrol, 
kaempferol 3-rhamnoside 7-xyloside, kaempferitrin, and astragalin 7-rhamnoside 
as the potential inhibitors for Cox1 of C. capsici, β-Caryophyllene, 
Caryophyllene acetate, hispaglabridin A, kaempferol 3-rhamnoside 7-xyloside and 
licorice glycoside A for Cox1 of F. oxysporum and (+)-Longifolen, Caryophyllene 
acetate, Hispaglabridin A, Neoliquiritin 2''-apioside and Licorice-saponin A3 
for Cox1 of P. aphanidermatum. Most of the top-scoring bioactive molecules 
exhibited higher binding affinity with the targets than the chemical compound, 
i.e., carbendazim. Density functional theory (DFT) analysis confirmed the 
reactivity of the top-docked compounds. Molecular dynamic simulations confirmed 
the stability of docked complexes when evaluated through multiple descriptors. 
Additionally, MM/PBSA analysis supported the findings, indicating the 
spontaneous binding of the enzymes to the screened ligands. ADMET analysis 
revealed the safety of the selected bioactive compounds. The present findings 
could be useful in developing biopesticidal formulations as efficient and 
sustainable alternatives to chemical pesticides.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. 
Sarma.

DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2303603
PMID: 38217280