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. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2024 Aug 23;17(9):1113. doi: 10.3390/ph17091113. Botany, Traditional Use, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and Quality Control of Taraxaci herba: Comprehensive Review. Wu J(1), Sun J(1), Liu M(1), Zhang X(1), Kong L(1), Ma L(1), Jiang S(1), Liu X(1)(2), Ma W(1). Author information: (1)School of Pharmacy, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150006, China. (2)School of Jiamusi, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Jiamusi 154007, China. Taraxaci herba, as a traditional Chinese medicine, is the name of the Taraxacum genus in the Asteraceae family. Documented in the Tang Herbal Medicine (Tang Dynasty, AD 657-659), its medicinal properties cover a wide range of applications such as acute mastitis, lung abscess, conjunctival congestion, sore throat, damp-heat jaundice, and vision improvement. In the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (Edition 2020), more than 40 kinds of China-patented drugs containing Taraxaci herba were recorded. This review explores the evolving scientific understanding of Taraxaci herba, covering facets of ethnopharmacology, botany, phytochemistry, pharmacology, artificial cultivation, and quality control. In particular, the chemical constituents and pharmacological research are reviewed. Taraxaci herba has been certified as a traditional medicine plant, and its flavonoids, phenolic acids, and terpenoids have been identified and separated, which include Chicoric acid, taraxasterol, Taraxasteryl acetate, Chlorogenic acid, isorhamnetin, and luteolin; they are responsible for anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-tumor, and anti-cancer activities. These findings validate the traditional uses of Taraxaci herba and lay the groundwork for further scientific exploration. The sources used in this study include Web of Science, Pubmed, the CNKI site, classic monographs, the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, the Chinese Medicine Dictionary, and doctoral and master's theses. DOI: 10.3390/ph17091113 PMCID: PMC11434673 PMID: 39338278 Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as potential conflicts of interest. 2. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2024 Oct 15;285:117093. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.117093. Epub 2024 Sep 23. Taraxasterol attenuates zearalenone-induced kidney damage in mice by modulating oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Yan KX(1), Ge BJ(2), Sang R(3), Zhao P(4), Liu XM(5), Yu MH(6), Liu XT(7), Qiu Q(8), Zhang XM(9). Author information: (1)Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines of Changbai Mountain, Ministry of Education, College of Pharmacy, Yanbian University, Gongyuan Street, Yanji, Jilin 133000, China. Electronic address: 411517796@qq.com. (2)College of Agriculture, Yanbian University, Gongyuan Street, Yanji, Jilin 133000, China. Electronic address: 727965819@qq.com. (3)College of Agriculture, Yanbian University, Gongyuan Street, Yanji, Jilin 133000, China. Electronic address: SR@ybu.edu.cn. (4)College of Agriculture, Yanbian University, Gongyuan Street, Yanji, Jilin 133000, China. Electronic address: 153806850@qq.com. (5)College of Agriculture, Yanbian University, Gongyuan Street, Yanji, Jilin 133000, China. Electronic address: 2326934425@qq.com. (6)College of Agriculture, Yanbian University, Gongyuan Street, Yanji, Jilin 133000, China. Electronic address: 2684577669@qq.com. (7)College of Agriculture, Yanbian University, Gongyuan Street, Yanji, Jilin 133000, China. Electronic address: 2507770904@qq.com. (8)College of Agriculture, Yanbian University, Gongyuan Street, Yanji, Jilin 133000, China. Electronic address: 1214867500@qq.com. (9)College of Agriculture, Yanbian University, Gongyuan Street, Yanji, Jilin 133000, China. Electronic address: zhangxm@ybu.edu.cn. Taraxasterol is one of the bioactive ingredients from traditional Chinese herb Taraxacum, which exhibits multiple pharmacological activities and protective effects. However, the underlying influence and mechanism of its use against kidney damage caused from zearalenone (ZEA) remain unexplored. The ZEA-induced kidney damage model of mice was established by feeding diets containing ZEA (2 mg/kg), and taraxasterol (5 and 10 mg/kg) was administered by gavage for 28 days. Results demonstrated taraxasterol increased average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI), reduced feed-to-gain ratio (F/G) and kidney index of mice induced by ZEA. Taraxasterol alleviated histopathological changes of kidney, reduced ZEA residue and the levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), uric acid (UA), and creatinine (CRE). Concurrently, taraxasterol reduced the contents of oxidative stress indicator reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Further, taraxasterol up-regulated the mRNA and protein expression of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), GSH-Px, NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and down-regulated the mRNA and protein expression of KELCH like ECH associated protein (Keap1) in Nrf2/Keap1 pathway. Taraxasterol down-regulated the mRNA and protein expression of immunoglobulin binding protein (Bip), C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), Bcl-2 associated X (Bax), cysteine protease (Caspase)-12, and Caspase-3, and up-regulated B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) expression in endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway. This study suggests that taraxasterol attenuates ZEA-induced mouse kidney damage through the modulation of Nrf2/Keapl pathway to play antioxidant role and endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway to enhance anti-apoptotic ability. It will provide a basis for taraxasterol as a potential drug to prevent and treat ZEA-induced kidney damage. Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.117093 PMID: 39317070 [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 3. Cureus. 2024 Jul 6;16(7):e63989. doi: 10.7759/cureus.63989. eCollection 2024 Jul. The Effect of Electrospun Scaffold Loaded With Taraxasterol Microspheres on the Proliferation and Differentiation of Osteoblasts. Zhang Y(1), Shaari R(1), Awang Nawi MA(1), Hassan A(1), Cui C(2). Author information: (1)School of Dental Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, MYS. (2)Department of Oral Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, CHN. This study aims to observe the effect of electrospun scaffolds loaded with taraxasterol microspheres on the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts. Taraxasterol microspheres were prepared by desolventization and electrostatic adsorption technology. The structure of the microspheres was observed under transmission electron microscopy. The drug microspheres were loaded into electrospinning using electrospinning technology, followed by scanning electron microscopy and elemental analysis. Osteoblasts were cultured in vitro, and the effects of drug carriers on osteoblast proliferation and differentiation were observed through Cell Counting kit 8 (CCK-8) cell proliferation detection and alkaline phosphatase activity detection. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the prepared drug microspheres have a double-layer structure, which can effectively reduce the sudden release of drugs. The electrospinning had a porous three-dimensional structure between them, which was conducive to cell adhesion. After loading microspheres, there was a significant difference in electrospinning diameter and nodular protrusions, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) elemental analysis showed that the proportion of nitrogen elements increased significantly after the addition of microspheres, a CCK-8 detection showed that drug carrier scaffolds loaded with taraxasterol had a promoting effect on osteoblast proliferation (P<0.05). Alkaline phosphatase detection showed that drug carrier scaffolds loaded with taraxasterol can promote early differentiation of osteoblasts (P>0.05). Electrospinning loaded with taraxasterol microspheres can promote osteoblast adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. Copyright © 2024, Zhang et al. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.63989 PMCID: PMC11300139 PMID: 39109112 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. Am J Cancer Res. 2024 Jun 15;14(6):2755-2769. doi: 10.62347/YLTR8866. eCollection 2024. Taraxasterol exhibits dual biological effects on anti-aging and anti-cancer in lung cells. Xie J(1), Ou Y(2), Fu Q(2), Ye Z(3), Chen Y(2), Yang Z(4), Lin L(1), Wu Q(1), Wu D(1), Gan R(1), Wang J(3), Luo Q(1), Zeng K(5), Miao H(3)(6)(7). Author information: (1)Department of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University Zhanjiang 524000, Guangdong, China. (2)Pathological Diagnosis and Research Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University Zhanjiang 524000, Guangdong, China. (3)Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University Zhanjiang 524000, Guangdong, China. (4)Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University Zhanjiang 524000, Guangdong, China. (5)First Clinical College, Guangdong Medical University Zhanjiang 524000, Guangdong, China. (6)Key Laboratory of Liver Injury Diagnosis and Repair, Guangdong Medical University Zhanjiang 524000, Guangdong, China. (7)Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Medical University Liaobu Hospital Dongguan 523000, Guangdong, China. As numerous countries around the world have entered an aging society currently, understanding the impact of aging on human health becomes critically important. Notably, aging is associated with increased prevalence of age-related diseases, with the lungs being particularly susceptible. Aging contributes to a decline in lung function, including respiratory disorders, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Therefore, it is a very important to identify and develop active substances that can mitigate lung cell aging. In current study, we evaluated the impact of Taraxasterol on lung cell senescence, showing that Taraxasterol can alleviate lung cell senescence, as evidenced by reductions in senescence-related marker molecules, including p16 and p21. Additionally, Taraxasterol was found to ameliorate inflammation and oxidative stress in lung cells. Further mechanistic studies indicated that Taraxasterol exerts anti-aging effects through the PGC1α/NRF1 signaling pathway in lung cell models. Since aging is also closely related to lung cancer, we also explored the potential anti-tumor effect of taraxasterol. Utilizing non-small cell lung cancer cells (NSCLC) as a model, we systematically study the anti-tumor effect of Taraxasterol both in vivo and in vitro. Our findings suggest that Taraxasterol exhibited anti-cancer effect through EGFR-mediated signaling. Taken together, Taraxasterol shows dual biological activities, offering promising anti-aging and anti-lung cancer benefits. AJCR Copyright © 2024. DOI: 10.62347/YLTR8866 PMCID: PMC11236785 PMID: 39005687 Conflict of interest statement: None. 5. Int Immunopharmacol. 2024 Sep 10;138:112580. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112580. Epub 2024 Jun 28. Taraxasterol protects against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity by reducing liver inflammatory response and ameliorating oxidative stress in mice. Lin W(1), Gu B(1), Gu Y(1), Zhao R(1), Huang Y(1), Fan R(1), Rong W(2), Liu Z(3). Author information: (1)School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China. (2)Department of Orthopedics, Nanjing Lishui District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 211299, Jiangsu, China. Electronic address: rongweihao@126.com. (3)School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China. Electronic address: lzg871014@ntu.edu.cn. Acute liver failure is mainly caused by the overdose of acetaminophen (APAP) globally. The traditional Chinese medicinal (TCM) herb, Taraxacum, contains Taraxasterol (TAX) as one of the active components. It is a pentacyclic-triterpene compound isolated from this herb. Present work aimed to investigate the in vitro and in vivo protection effect of TAX in APAP-induced acute liver injury, and determine the potential regulatory mechamisms. The liver injury caused by APAP is attenuated by TAX, as shown by the alleviated pathological changes of mice liver and the reduced serological indexes. TAX evidently controlled the oxidative stress and liver inflammation in mice liver. In vitro studies found that TAX reversed the decrease in LO2 cell viability induced by APAP, and protected LO2 cells from APAP-induced injury. In addition, TAX reduced the secretion of inflammatory factors in RAW264.7 macrophages as induced via APAP. Besides, TAX inhibited oxidative stress in LO2 cells induced by APAP in vitro. Noteworthy, TAX enhanced protein and mRNA expressions of Nrf2 in vivo, and knockdown of Nrf2 by using adeno-associated virus (AAV)-Nrf2-KO attenuated inhibitory impact of TAX in acute liver injury induced by APAP. Also, AAV-NRF2-KO weakened the inhibitory impact of TAX against APAP-triggered liver inflammation and oxidative stress of mice liver. Moreover, TAX activated the Nrf2 signaling in APAP-induced LO2 cells, as shown by the increased nuclear Nrf2 expression together with downstream HO-1 expression in vitro. Inhibition of Nrf2 by using ML-385, anNrf2inhibitor, weakened the inhibitory effect of TAX against APAP-induced oxidative stress and cell injury in LO2 cells. Moreover, inhibition of Nrf2 attenuated anti-inflammatory effect of TAX for APAP-induced RAW264.7 cells. Collectively, TAX could protect against APAP-triggered hepatotoxicitythrough suppression of liver oxidative stress and inflammatory response in mice. Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112580 PMID: 38943970 [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.