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 Sci Nutr. 2024 Jul 11;12(10):7166-7176. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.4327. eCollection 2024 Oct. Prediction of storage years of Wuyi rock tea Shuixian by metabolites analysis. Song X(1)(2), Wu Z(1)(2), Liang Q(2), Ma C(2), Cai P(2). Author information: (1)College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fuzhou Fujian China. (2)College of Tea and Food Science, Wuyi University Wuyishan China. Wuyi rock teas of different storage duration have different flavor, bioactivity, and market value, Shuixian is a main variety of Wuyi rock tea. In this study, metabolites composition of Shuixian with different storage years were analyzed using Ultrahigh Performance Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole-Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). A total of 1201 compounds were identified, and 104 differential compounds (VIP > 1.5) were determined. Furthermore, the results showed that five compounds exhibited a positive correlation with storage time, such as alpha-terpineol formate, carnosol, 2-phenethyl-D-glucopyranoside, Ellagic acid, and D-ribosyl nicotinic acid, while 24 compounds showed a negative correlation, such as Ethyl linoleate, leucocyanidin, cis-3-hexenyl acetate. In total, 29 signature compounds significantly correlated with storage time. These findings shed light on the patterns and mechanisms of changes in the composition of Wuyi rock tea during storage and provide a theoretical foundation for distinguishing the storage years. © 2024 The Author(s). Food Science & Nutrition published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.4327 PMCID: PMC11521635 PMID: 39479628 Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare that they do not have any conflict of interest. 2. Int J Biol Macromol. 2024 Oct 16;281(Pt 4):136653. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.136653. Online ahead of print. An activator-represssor complex of VvWRKYs regulate proanthocyanidins biosynthesis through co-targeting VvLAR in grape. Zhao T(1), Li N(2), Kong J(2), Li X(3), Huang C(4), Wang Y(5), Zhang C(6), Li Y(7). Author information: (1)State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (Northwest Region), Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China. Electronic address: zhaoting@nwafu.edu.cn. (2)State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (Northwest Region), Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China. (3)College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China. (4)State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (Northwest Region), Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China. Electronic address: 17889983313@nwafu.edu.cn. (5)State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (Northwest Region), Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China. Electronic address: wangyj@nwsuaf.edu.cn. (6)State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (Northwest Region), Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China. Electronic address: zhangchaohong@nwsuaf.edu.cn. (7)College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China. Electronic address: liyan@nwsuaf.edu.cn. Proanthocyanidins (PAs) are vital polyphenolic compounds in plants with various biological functions. Although WRKY transcription factors are known to play important roles, their specific involvement in regulating PAs metabolism in grapes remains underexplored. In this study, we identified six candidate WRKY genes potentially involved in PAs synthesis by transiently overexpressing them in Nicotiana tabacum leaves. Among these, VvWRKY57 was found to enhance PAs synthesis. Further functional analysis, achieved by overexpressing of VvWRKY57 in grape calli, confirmed its positive role in PAs biosynthesis. Using yeast one-hybrid (Y1H), dual-luciferase reporter (DLR) assays, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), we demonstrated that VvWRKY57 binds to the promoter of leucocyanidin reductase (VvLAR2) and stimulates its activity. Additionally, yeast two-hybrid (Y2H), bimolecular fluorescence complementary (BiFC), and pull-down assays revealed that VvWRKY57 forms heterodimers with VvWRKY20, while VvWTKY20 also forms homodimers. Interestingly, overexpression of VvWRKY20 was found to inhibit PAs synthesis. Y1H, DLR, and EMSA further showed that VvWRKY20 binds to the promoters of VvLAR1 and VvLAR2, repressing their transcription activity. When VvWRKY57 and VvWRKY20 were co-expressed, VvLAR2 promoter activity and PAs synthesis were suppressed. Moreover, we discovered that VvPUB26, an E3 ubiquitin ligase physically interacts with both VvWRKY57 and VvWRKY20. VvPUB26 mediated the degradation of VvWRKY20 but did not influence the degradation of VvWRKY57. In conclusion, this study highlights the regulatory interplay between WRKY transcription factors in PAs biosynthesis, offering insights into their distinct roles in modulating this important metabolic pathway in grapes. Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.136653 PMID: 39423972 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. 3. Cureus. 2024 Aug 29;16(8):e68159. doi: 10.7759/cureus.68159. eCollection 2024 Aug. A Thorough Examination of Peltophorum pterocarpum Phytochemicals in Network Pharmacology-Based Management of Acne Vulgaris. Biju AK(1), B N(2), Shanmugam R(1). Author information: (1)Nanobiomedicine Lab, Centre for Global Health Research, Saveetha Medical College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, IND. (2)Community Medicine, Saveetha Medical College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, IND. Introduction Acne vulgaris is a common skin problem caused by inflammation of the sebaceous glands and hair follicles as a result of hormonal fluctuations, bacteria, and overproduction of oil. The plant Peltophorum pterocarpum (P. pterocarpum) has been investigated for possible medical uses. Its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant qualities are well recognised, and they may be applied to treat several diseases. This study investigates the plant's phytochemicals for their effectiveness in treating acne. Methods The Indian Medicinal Plants, Phytochemistry and Therapeutics (Vivek-Ananth, R. P., Mohanraj, K., Sahoo, A. K., & Samal, A. (2023). IMPPAT 2.0: An Enhanced and Expanded Phytochemical Atlas of Indian Medicinal Plants. ACS omega, 8(9), 8827–8845. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.3c00156) database was utilised to extract the phytochemicals from P. pterocarpum. The absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) analysis was conducted using the online tool SwissADME. The SwissTargetPrediction tool determines the potential targets of these phytochemicals. Targets for acne have been identified using the Open Targets Platform database. The common targets of P. pterocarpum and acne were identified using the Venn diagram drawing tool Venny 2.1.0, and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was built using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) database. Following that, hub genes were identified by Cytoscape 3.10.2. The web tool ShinyGO 0.80 has enabled simpler evaluation of enrichment analysis for these hub genes. Results Five genes were shown to be key targets because they are directly engaged in the relaxin signalling pathway by pathway analysis: epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and various matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) (MMP1, MMP2, MMP9, and MMP13). The phytochemicals found in P. pterocarpum, including quercetin, rhamnetin, hirsutidin, and (+)-leucocyanidin, target these key genes. Conclusion This study highlights the potential of P. pterocarpum as a multi-target therapeutic agent for acne vulgaris. By targeting key genes in the relaxin signalling pathway, the phytochemicals from P. pterocarpum present a promising approach for acne management. Copyright © 2024, Biju et al. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.68159 PMCID: PMC11439474 PMID: 39347283 Conflict of interest statement: Human subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve human participants or tissue. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work. 4. Food Chem X. 2024 Aug 8;23:101721. doi: 10.1016/j.fochx.2024.101721. eCollection 2024 Oct 30. Metabolomics and electronic-tongue analysis reveal differences in color and taste quality of large-leaf yellow tea under different roasting methods. Sheng C(1)(2), Lu M(1)(2), Zhang J(1)(2), Zhao W(1)(2), Jiang Y(1)(2), Li T(1)(2), Wang Y(1)(2), Ning J(1)(2). Author information: (1)State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, 130 Changjiang West Road, Hefei 230036, China. (2)School of Tea and Food Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, 130 Changjiang West Road, Hefei 230036, China. Roasting is a key process in the production of large-leaf yellow tea (LYT). In this study, we synthesized metabolomics and electronic-tongue analysis to compare the quality of charcoal-roasted, electric-roasted and drum-roasted LYT. Charcoal-roasted LYT had the highest yellowness and redness, drum-roasted LYT had a more prominent umami and brightness, and electric roasting reduced astringency. A total of 48 metabolites were identified by metabolomics. Among these, leucocyanidin, kaempferol, luteolin-7-lactate, and apigenin-7-O-neohesperidoside might affect the brightness and yellowness. Theanine, aspartic acid, and glutamic acid contents significantly and positively correlated with umami levels, and the high retention of flavonoid glycosides and catechins in drum-roasted LYT contributed to its astringency. These findings elucidate the contribution of the roasting method to the quality of LYT and provide a theoretical basis for LYT production. © 2024 The Authors. DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.2024.101721 PMCID: PMC11369393 PMID: 39229616 Conflict of interest statement: 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. 5. Front Plant Sci. 2024 Mar 26;15:1373975. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1373975. eCollection 2024. Revisiting decade-old questions in proanthocyanidin biosynthesis: current understanding and new challenges. Lu N(1). Author information: (1)BioDiscovery Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, United States. Proanthocyanidins (PAs), one of the most abundant natural polymers found in plants, are gaining increasing attention because of their beneficial effects for agriculture and human health. The study of PA biosynthesis has been active for decades, and progress has been drastically accelerated since the discovery of key enzymes such as Anthocyanidin Reductase (ANR), Leucoanthocyanidin Reductase (LAR), and key transcription factors such as Transparent Testa 2 (TT2) and Transparent Testa 8 (TT8) in the early 2000s. Scientists raised some compelling questions regarding PA biosynthesis about two decades ago in the hope that addressing these questions would lead to an enhanced understanding of PA biosynthesis in plants. These questions focus on the nature of starter and extension units for PA biosynthesis, the stereochemistry of PA monomers and intermediates, and how and where the polymerization or condensation steps work subcellularly. Here, I revisit these long-standing questions and provide an update on progress made toward answering them. Because of advanced technologies in genomics, bioinformatics and metabolomics, we now have a much-improved understanding of functionalities of key enzymes and identities of key intermediates in the PA biosynthesis and polymerization pathway. Still, several questions, particularly the ones related to intracellular PA transportation and deposition, as well as enzyme subcellular localization, largely remain to be explored. Our increasing understanding of PA biosynthesis in various plant species has led to a new set of compelling open questions, suggesting future research directions to gain a more comprehensive understanding of PA biosynthesis. Copyright © 2024 Lu. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1373975 PMCID: PMC11002137 PMID: 38595764 Conflict of interest statement: The author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.