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. Chemistry. 2024 Nov 6:e202401887. doi: 10.1002/chem.202401887. Online ahead of print. Neo-Glycolipid Oximes as Intestinal Permeation Enhancers for Peptide Hormone PYY3-36. Kalomoiri P(1), Mortensen JS(2), Christensen NJ(1), Sørensen KK(1), Nielsen HM(2), Jensen KJ(1), Thygesen MB(3). Author information: (1)University of Copenhagen Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, DENMARK. (2)University of Copenhagen Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Pharmacy, Universitetsparken 2, 2100, Copenhagen, DENMARK. (3)Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Department of Chemistry, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C Copenhagen, DENMARK. Herein, we describe the design and synthesis of 16 neo-glycolipids that are potential permeation enhancers for oral drug delivery of peptide therapeutics. These amphiphilic neo-glycolipids are composed of fatty acids and various carbohydrates (D-glucose, lactose, cellobiose, maltose) via an oxime linker. The ability of the synthesized neo-glycolipids to enhance permeation of fluorescein-labelled dextran (4 kDa) or 3H-mannitol across intestinal epithelium was investigated in vitro using monolayers of human epithelial Caco-2 cells. Their effects were compared with (pre-)clinically known enhancers as reference compounds; sodium salts of octanoic, decanoic, and dodecanoic acid, and sodium salcaprozate (SNAC). Most neo-glycolipids increased the permeation of the model compounds, proving that neo-glycolipids, which possess vastly different properties from the reference compounds, e.g., in terms of clogD and polar surface area, are effective permeation enhancers. The neo-glycolipid based on decanoic acid and glucose was more potent than related compounds based on disaccharides. Significant differences in solubility and cellular compatibility were found for neo-glyolipids based on different carbohydrates. Finally, neo-glycolipids were evaluated as permeation enhancers for the peptide hormone PYY3-36. Glucose- and maltose-derived neo-glycolipids based on decanoic and dodecanoic acid showed promising enhancements in PYY3-36 permeation while maintaining good cellular compatibility, relevant for oral delivery of obesity treatments. © 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH. DOI: 10.1002/chem.202401887 PMID: 39504118 2. J Fish Biol. 2024 Nov 6. doi: 10.1111/jfb.15982. Online ahead of print. Growth performance and enzymatic activities in monosex tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) supplemented with Najas indica along with the compound identification of the extracts. Tithi SR(1), Ghosh AK(1), Zilani MNH(2), Aktar S(1), Uddin SJ(3), Shahid RB(1), Sarower MG(1). Author information: (1)Fisheries and Marine Resource Technology Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh. (2)Department of Pharmacy, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Jashore, Bangladesh. (3)Pharmacy Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh. Recent research has looked at various macroalgae species as dietary components or feed additives for a variety of fish species due to their nutritional value. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of Najas indica, a macroalgae extract, on the growth performance, proximate composition, and metabolic activities of monosex tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), while also isolating the compounds present. Three distinct solvents (n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and ethanol) were used to extract bioactive compounds from a coarse powder of macroalgae after drying and grinding, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis was used to detect bioactive compounds. The extracts were combined with commercial feed (0.4%) and applied to the treatment with three replications and a control containing 50 fingerlings per tank for 5 weeks. The findings indicated a significant increase in the final weight, weight gain, specific growth rate (SGR), and survival rate among the treated fish, whereas the feed conversion ratio (FCR) was observed to decrease in comparison to the control group. Significantly higher levels of protein and lipids were found in treated fish, whereas moisture and ash levels were significantly lower compared to control fish. In treated fish, the digestive enzyme amylase was significantly higher, but the protease enzyme reduced significantly. The antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) was significantly higher in the treatment group, whereas the catalase (CAT) enzyme did not differ significantly. A total of 47 bioactive compounds were identified in N. indica, among which the prominent compounds included n-hexadecanoic acid, neophytadiene, phytyl palmitate, d-mannitol, and heptanoic acid. The results obtained from this study indicate that the utilization of N. indica macroalgae extract has the potential to serve as an additional dietary component, therefore, enhancing the growth performance and metabolic functions of fish. © 2024 Fisheries Society of the British Isles. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15982 PMID: 39503289 3. Adv Healthc Mater. 2024 Nov 3:e2402757. doi: 10.1002/adhm.202402757. Online ahead of print. Intervening to Preserve Function in Ischemic Cardiomyopathy with a Porous Hydrogel and Extracellular Matrix Composite in a Rat Myocardial Infarction Model. Hayashi Y(1)(2)(3), Fujii T(1)(2)(3), Kim S(1)(4)(5), Ozeki T(1)(2)(3), Badylak SF(1)(2)(4), D'Amore A(1)(2)(4)(6), Mutsuga M(3), Wagner WR(1)(2)(4)(7). Author information: (1)McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, USA. (2)Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA. (3)Department of Cardiac Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, 4668550, Japan. (4)Departments of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA. (5)Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Mississippi State University, MS, 39762, USA. (6)Fondazione RiMED, Palermo, 90133, Italy. (7)Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA. Multiple hydrogels are developed for injection therapy after myocardial infarction, with some incorporating substances promoting tissue regeneration and others emphasizing mechanical effects. In this study, porosity and extracellular matrix-derived digest (ECM) are incorporated, into a mechanically optimized, thermoresponsive, degradable hydrogel (poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N-vinylpyrrolidone-co-MAPLA)) and evaluate whether this biomaterial injectate can abrogate adverse remodeling in rat ischemic cardiomyopathy. After myocardial infarction, rats are divided into four groups: NP (non-porous hydrogel) without either ECM or porosity, PM (porous hydrogel) from the same synthetic copolymer with mannitol beads as porogens, and PME with porosity and ECM digest added to the synthetic copolymer. PBS injection alone is a control group. Intramyocardial injections occurred 3 days after myocardial infarction followed by serial echocardiography and histological assessments 8 weeks after infarction. Echocardiographic function and neovascularization improved in the PME group compared to the other hydrogels and PBS injection. The PME group also demonstrated improved LV geometry and macrophage polarization (toward M2) compared to PBS, whereas differences are not observed in the NP or PM groups versus control. These results demonstrate further functional improvement may be achieved in hydrogel injection therapy for ischemic cardiomyopathy by incorporating porosity and ECM digest, representing combined mechanical and biological effects. © 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Healthcare Materials published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH. DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202402757 PMID: 39491520 4. Int J Food Microbiol. 2023 Oct 18;408:110445. doi: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2023.110445. Online ahead of print. Microbial ecology and metabolite dynamics of backslopped triticale sourdough productions and the impact of scale. González-Alonso V(1), Pradal I(1), Wardhana YR(1), Cnockaert M(2), Wieme AD(3), Vandamme P(3), De Vuyst L(4). Author information: (1)Research Group of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology (IMDO), Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium. (2)Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Gent, Belgium. (3)Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Gent, Belgium; BCCM/LMG Bacteria Collection, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, K. L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. (4)Research Group of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology (IMDO), Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: luc.de.vuyst@vub.be. Triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack) is a hybrid of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and rye (Secale cereale L.), combining the positive attributes of both cereals. However, it has not been exploited for sourdough production yet. Further, the effect of scale on sourdough production has not been investigated systematically up to now. The aims of the present study were to assess the microbial ecology and metabolomic output of eleven spontaneously fermented, backslopped sourdough productions made with triticale flour on a scale of 100, 200, 500, and 1000 g. The acidification profile [pH and total titratable acidity (TTA)], microbial diversity (culture-dependent and culture-independent), metabolite dynamics, and appropriate correlations were determined. After ten fermentation steps, different species of Lactobacillaceae were prevalent in the mature sourdoughs, in particular Latilactobacillus curvatus, Limosilactobacillus fermentum, and Pediococcus pentosaceus. The microbial diversity could be traced back to the grains and was also present in the milling fractions (flour, bran, and shorts). Furthermore, thanks to the use of Illumina-based high-throughput sequencing and an amplicon sequence variant (ASV) approach, the presence of undesirable bacterial groups (bacilli, clostridia, and enterobacteria) during the initial steps of the backslopping cycle was revealed, as well as a finetuned taxonomic diversity of the LAB genera involved. Small sourdough productions (100 and 200 g) selected for a lower species diversity and reached a stable consortium faster than large ones (500 and 1000 g). Although a comparable final pH of 3.6-4.0 was obtained, the TTA of small sourdoughs was lower than that of large ones. Regarding the metabolic output, the simultaneous production of mannitol and erythritol, beyond ethanol and glycerol, could be linked to sourdoughs in which Liml. fermentum was the sole LAB species present. Further, the use of the arginine deiminase pathway by P. pentosaceus and Liml. fermentum was obvious. An appropriate extraction method followed by liquid injection gas chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry allowed the quantification of interesting volatile organic compounds, such as ethyl lactate. These findings support the inclusion of triticale as a viable alternative to wheat or rye for the production of sourdoughs that can be integrated into bread-making production schemes. Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2023.110445 PMID: 39491387 Conflict of interest statement: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that no commercial or financial relationships were conflicting with the research, and that, as such, there is no conflict of interest. 5. Sci Rep. 2024 Nov 1;14(1):26359. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-78283-9. Biofilm formation and antibiogram profile of bacteria from infected wounds in a general hospital in southern Ethiopia. Kulayta K(1)(2), Zerdo Z(1), Seid M(3), Dubale A(1), Manilal A(4), Kebede T(1)(5), Alahmadi RM(6), Raman G(7), Akbar I(8). Author information: (1)Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, southern, Ethiopia. (2)Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Arba Minch College of Health Sciences, Arba Minch, Ethiopia. (3)Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, southern, Ethiopia. mohamedseid2005@gmail.com. (4)Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, southern, Ethiopia. aseermanilal@gmail.com. (5)Arba Minch General Hospital, Arba Minch, Ethiopia. (6)Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (7)Department of Life Sciences, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk-Do, South Korea. bioramg@gmail.com. (8)Research Department of Chemistry, Nehru Memorial College (Affiliated to Bharathidasan University), Puthanampatti, Tiruchirappalli District, 621007, Tamil Nadu, India. Biofilm-producing bacteria associated with wound infections exhibit exceptional drug resistance, leading to an escalation in morbidity, worse clinical outcomes (including delay in the healing process), and an increase in health care cost, burdening the whole system. This study is an attempt to estimate the prevalence and the relationship between the biofilm-forming capacity and multi-drug resistance of wound bacterial isolates. The findings intended to help clinicians, healthcare providers and program planners and to formulate an evidence-based decision-making process, especially in resource-limited healthcare settings. This study was done to assess the prevalence of bacterial infections in wounds and the antibiogram and biofilm-forming capacity of those bacteria in patients with clinical signs and symptoms, attending a General Hospital in southern Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was performed in Arba Minch General Hospital from June to November 2021. The study participants comprised 201 patients with clinically infected wounds. Demographic and clinical data were gathered via a structured questionnaire. Specimens from wounds were taken from each participant and inoculated onto a series of culture media, namely MacConkey agar, mannitol salt agar, and blood agar, and different species were identified using a number of biochemical tests. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed by means of the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique following the guidelines of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. A micro-titer plate method was employed to detect the extent of biofilm formation. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression models were applied to analyse the association between dependent and independent variables, and P values ≤ 0.05 were considered as statistically significant. Data analyses were done with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 25. Out of the 201 clinically infected wounds, 165 were found culture-positive with an overall prevalence of 82% (95% CI: 75.9-86.9). In total, 188 bacteria were recovered; 53.1% of them were Gram-positive cocci. The often-isolated bacterial species were Staphylococcus aureus, 38.3% (n = 72), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 16.4% (n = 31). The Gram-positive isolates showed considerable resistance against penicillin, 70%, and somewhat strong resistance against tetracycline, 57.7%. Gram-negative isolates showed severe resistance to ampicillin, 80.68%. The overall multi-drug resistance (MDR) among isolates was 48.4%. Extended beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Gram-negatives and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) accounted for 49 and 41.67%, respectively; 62.2% of the isolates were biofilm formers and were correlated statistically with MDR, ESBL producers, and MRSA (P < 0.005). The extent of biofilm formation and the prevalence of MDR bacteria associated with infected wounds hint at a public health threat that needs immediate attention. Thus, a more balanced and comprehensive wound management approach and antimicrobial stewardship program are essential in the study setting. © 2024. The Author(s). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-78283-9 PMCID: PMC11530625 PMID: 39487302 [Indexed for MEDLINE] Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no competing interests.