Worldwide, there are plants known as psychoactive plants that naturally contain psychedelic active components. They have a high concentration of neuroprotective substances that can interact with the nervous system to produce psychedelic effects. Despite these plants' hazardous potential, recreational use of them is on the rise because of their psychoactive properties. Early neuroscience studies relied heavily on psychoactive plants and plant natural products (NPs), and both recreational and hazardous NPs have contributed significantly to the understanding of almost all neurotransmitter systems. Worldwide, there are many plants that contain psychoactive properties, and people have been using them for ages. Psychoactive plant compounds may significantly alter how people perceive the world.
1. Food Res Int. 2024 Jul;188:114439. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114439. Epub 2024 May 6. Effect of pH and temperature on tropane alkaloids within a processing strategy to provide safe infant cereal-based food. Torrents-Masoliver B(1), Terriente-Palacios C(2), Bover-Cid S(1), Jofré A(1), Castellari M(1), Ribas-Agustí A(3). Author information: (1)IRTA (Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology), Food Safety and Functionality Programme, Finca Camps i Armet s/n, 17200 Monells, Spain. (2)Present address: Metabolomics Platform, Institute for Mediterranean and Subtropical Horticulture "La Mayora", University of Málaga-Spanish National Research Council (IHSM UMA-CSIC), Avenue Louis Pasteur 49, 29010, Malaga, Spain. (3)IRTA (Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology), Food Safety and Functionality Programme, Finca Camps i Armet s/n, 17200 Monells, Spain. Electronic address: albert.ribas@irta.cat. Tropane alkaloids (TAs) are secondary metabolites from weeds that can contaminate cereals and vegetables during harvest. Due to their toxicity, the Regulation (EC) 2023/915 sets maximum levels for atropine and scopolamine in cereal-based foods for infants containing millet, sorghum, buckwheat or their derived products. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of pH and temperature on the stability of TAs, as possible parameters in thermal processing to mitigate this chemical hazard in cereal-based infant food. The effect of pH (4 and 7) and temperature (80 °C and 100 °C) was assessed in buffer solutions. Also, treatment at 180 °C was performed in spiked and naturally incurred millet flour to assess the effect of high temperature, simulating cooking or drying, on the stability of TAs in the cereal matrix. The fate of 24 TAs was assessed by UHPLC-MS/MS. TAs showed high thermostability, although it was variable depending on the specific compound, pH, temperature and treatment time. In buffer solutions, higher degradation was found at 100 °C and pH 7. In spiked millet flour at 180 °C for 10 min, scopolamine and atropine contents decreased by 25 % and 22 %, similarly to other TAs which also showed a slow thermal degradation. Atropine, scopolamine, anisodamine, norscopolamine, scopine and scopoline were found in naturally contaminated millet flour. Interestingly, naturally incurred atropine was more thermostable than when spiked, showing a protective effect of the cereal matrix on TAs degradation. The present results highlight the need for an accurate monitorization of TAs in raw materials, as this chemical hazard may remain in infant cereal-based food even after intense thermal processing. Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114439 PMID: 38823829 [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. 2. Scopolamine. Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®) [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; 2006–. 2024 May 15. No information is available on the use of scopolamine during breastfeeding. Use during labor appears to have a detrimental effect on newborn infants' nursing behavior. Long-term use of scopolamine might reduce milk production or milk letdown, but a single systemic or ophthalmic dose is not likely to interfere with breastfeeding. During long-term use, observe for signs of decreased lactation (e.g., insatiety, poor weight gain). To substantially diminish the amount of drug that reaches the breastmilk after using eye drops, place pressure over the tear duct by the corner of the eye for 1 minute or more, then remove the excess solution with an absorbent tissue. PMID: 30000542 3. Food Chem Toxicol. 2024 Apr;186:114589. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2024.114589. Epub 2024 Mar 11. Occurrence and health risk assessment of tropane alkaloids in cereal foods consumed in Korea. Han S(1), Jang S(2), Oh S(2), Lee J(2), Lee HJ(2), Koo YE(3), Kim BH(4). Author information: (1)National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Cheongju, 28159, Republic of Korea; Department of Food and Nutrition, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, 04310, Republic of Korea. (2)National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Cheongju, 28159, Republic of Korea. (3)National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Cheongju, 28159, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: kye2020@naver.com. (4)Department of Food and Nutrition, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, 04310, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: bhkim@sookmyung.ac.kr. Tropane alkaloids (TA) are natural toxins found in certain plants, including cereals, of which atropine and scopolamine are the main species of concern due to their acute toxicity. This study aimed to determine the occurrence of TA in cereal foods and assess the potential health risks associated with their consumption in Korea. TA levels were analyzed in 80 raw and 71 processed cereal samples, which were distributed throughout Korea in 2021, using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. At least one of the six TA species, namely atropine, scopolamine, pseudotropine, tropinone, scopine, and 6-hydroxytropinone, was detected in 10 out of the 151 samples at levels ranging from 0.12 to 88.10 μg kg-1. Dietary exposure (mean, 0.23 ng kg-1 bw day-1) to atropine and scopolamine in the Korean population was estimated to be low across all age groups. This is despite considering worst-case scenarios using the total concentrations of atropine and scopolamine in a millet sample, both of which were detected, and 95th percentile consumption for consumers of millet only. Both the hazard index and margin of exposure methods indicated that the current levels of TA exposure from millet consumption were unlikely to pose significant health risks to the Korean population. Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2024.114589 PMID: 38467298 [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. Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. 2019 Jun 1;70(2):118-122. doi: 10.2478/aiht-2019-70-3206. Urine tropenol ester levels in workers handling tiotropium bromide synthesis: implications for exposure prevention and biomonitoring. Muttray A(1), Schneider M(1), Roßbach B(1). Author information: (1)Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany. Tropenol ester is a highly toxic anticholinergic substance and an intermediate used in industrial production of the bronchodilator tiotropium bromide. The aim of this study was to systematically test workers involved in its production for tropenol ester in urine to identify any exposure pathways and define additional preventive measures. Twelve workers performing tasks involving potential exposure to tropenol ester were repeatedly monitored at the end of each production cycle. Medical exams revealed no symptoms of acute poisoning with tropenol ester, but biological monitoring of urine showed 36 positive findings in 79 samples, with tropenol ester concentrations ranging between the detection limit of 54 pg/mL and 2160 pg/mL. We managed to establish the cause of only one positive finding, which was a hole in a protective glove, whereas the rest most likely occurred due to human error. Because of this, the plant decided to modify the production process by replacing tropenol ester with a safer intermediate. While it is the safest course of action, there where it cannot be taken, biological monitoring can be very helpful in raising awareness about exposure to toxic substances, including the new ones that have not been studied for their adverse potential. DOI: 10.2478/aiht-2019-70-3206 PMID: 31246575 [Indexed for MEDLINE] 5. Food Chem. 2019 Jul 30;287:265-272. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.02.091. Epub 2019 Feb 27. Effect of tea making and boiling processes on the degradation of tropane alkaloids in tea and pasta samples contaminated with Solanaceae seeds and coca leaf. Marín-Sáez J(1), Romero-González R(1), Garrido Frenich A(2). Author information: (1)Department of Chemistry and Physics, Analytical Chemistry Area, University of Almería, Research Centre for Agricultural and Food Biotechnology (BITAL), Agrifood Campus of International Excellence ceiA3, Carretera de Sacramento s/n, E-04120 Almería, Spain. (2)Department of Chemistry and Physics, Analytical Chemistry Area, University of Almería, Research Centre for Agricultural and Food Biotechnology (BITAL), Agrifood Campus of International Excellence ceiA3, Carretera de Sacramento s/n, E-04120 Almería, Spain. Electronic address: agarrido@ual.es. In this study, the degradation of tropane alkaloids in pasta under boiling (100 °C during 10 min) and tea making (100 °C and let cool 5 min) conditions has been evaluated for the first time. Pasta and green tea were contaminated with Datura Stramonium and Brugmansia Arborea seeds (pasta and green tea), whereas coca leaf tea was directly analysed. The compounds were extracted using solid-liquid extraction coupled to a preconcentration stage (only for the cooking water), and the compounds were analysed by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (Exactive-Orbitrap analyser). Degradation studies indicate that concentration of tropane alkaloids decreases, and it depends on the compound, observing the highest degradation for tropinone, tropane, cuscohygrine and tropine, as well as it was observed that compounds migrated to the aqueous phase during cooking step. Finally, post-targeted analysis was performed and other tropane alkaloids were found, as scopine, tigloidine or convolvine, showing a similar behaviour under cooking conditions. Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.02.091 PMID: 30857698 [Indexed for MEDLINE]