Psychoactive Plant Database - Neuroactive Phytochemical Collection

1. Cell Biochem Biophys. 2024 Nov 6. doi: 10.1007/s12013-024-01551-y. Online
ahead  of print.

Flavonoids of Euphorbia hirta inhibit inflammatory mechanisms via Nrf2 and NF-κB 
pathways.

Bai X(1), Li L(1), Wu Y(1), Jie B(2).

Author information:
(1)College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
(2)College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. 
baijie@scu.edu.cn.

Euphorbia hirta has anti-inflammatory effects in traditional medicine, but its 
anti-inflammatory mechanism has not been explored at the cellular and molecular 
levels. To unravel these mechanisms, the main active components in the 65 and 
95% ethanol extracts of Euphorbia hirta were first identified by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS. 
Subsequently, potential anti-inflammatory targets and signaling pathways were 
predicted using network pharmacology and experimentally validated using RT-PCR 
and flow cytometry in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation model of 
RAW264.7 cells. The results revealed flavonoids as the key active components. 
Network pharmacology uncovered 71 potential anti-inflammation targets, with a 
protein-protein interaction (PPI) network highlighting 8 cores targets, 
including IL-6, TNF, NFκB and Nrf2 et al. Furthermore, Euphorbia hirta exerts 
anti-inflammation effects through modulation of Nrf2 and NF-κB signaling 
pathways. Specifically, the 65% ethanol extract of Euphorbia hirta (EE65) and 
quercitrin (HPG) exerted anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting the expression 
of inflammatory genes associated with the NF-κB signaling pathway, whereas 
baicalein (HCS) suppressed cellular inflammation by promoting Nrf2-mediated 
antioxidant gene expression and enhancing apoptosis of inflammatory cells. The 
results of the study suggest that Euphorbia hirta has potential for the 
development of anti-inflammatory drugs.

© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business 
Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

DOI: 10.1007/s12013-024-01551-y
PMID: 39505796


2. J Nat Med. 2024 Oct 29. doi: 10.1007/s11418-024-01856-5. Online ahead of
print.

Exploring the inhibitory activity and mechanism on lipid production in 3T3-L1 
cells by hot water extract derived from Acacia confusa flowers.

Tsao NW(1), Cheng JY(2), Wang SY(3)(4)(5).

Author information:
(1)Department of Forestry, National Chung-Hsing University, 250 Kuo-Kuang Road, 
Taichung, 402, Taiwan.
(2)Program in Special Crop and Metabolome, Academy of Circle Economy, National 
Chung Hsing University, Nantou, 540, Taiwan.
(3)Department of Forestry, National Chung-Hsing University, 250 Kuo-Kuang Road, 
Taichung, 402, Taiwan. taiwanfir@dragon.nchu.edu.tw.
(4)Program in Special Crop and Metabolome, Academy of Circle Economy, National 
Chung Hsing University, Nantou, 540, Taiwan. taiwanfir@dragon.nchu.edu.tw.
(5)Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 108, 
Taiwan. taiwanfir@dragon.nchu.edu.tw.

Acacia confusa Merr. (Fabaceae) (A. confusa) is a native tree species of Taiwan, 
commonly found in the low-altitude mountains and hilly areas of the Hengchun 
Peninsula. This evergreen, perennial, and large-sized tree was the focus of a 
study that employed various chromatographic and spectroscopic methods to analyze 
the hot water extract of its flowers. The analysis revealed that the major 
components of the extract were myricitrin, quercitrin, europetin-3-O-rhamnoside, 
and chalconaringenin-2'-xyloside, with respective concentrations of 
approximately 0.22, 0.02, 0.26, and 0.10 mg/g of the flowers. Subsequent cell 
assays were conducted to assess the inhibitory effect of the extract on lipid 
synthesis in fat cells. Oil Red O staining results indicated that the extract 
significantly suppressed fatty acid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells, with the most 
pronounced effect observed at a concentration of 180 μg/ml. Furthermore, the hot 
water extract of A. confusa flowers was found to increase the phosphorylation of 
AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), decrease the phosphorylation of cAMP 
response element-binding protein (CREB), and reduce the expression of 
glucocorticoid receptor (GR) protein. This, in turn, inhibited the expression of 
downstream transcription factors such as CCAT/ehancer binding proteins α 
(C/EBPα), CCAT/ehancer binding proteins β (C/EBPβ), CCAT/ehancer binding 
proteins δ (C/EBPδ), peroxisome proliferation-actived receptor γ (PPARγ), and 
sterol regulatory element binding proteins-1 (SREBP-1). Consequently, the 
expression of lipid synthesis-related proteins acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), 
fatty acid synthase (FAS), and fatty acid translocase (CD36) was reduced, 
ultimately inhibiting lipid generation. Therefore, the hot water extract of A. 
confusa flowers shows potential for development as a weight-loss tea.

© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to The Japanese Society of 
Pharmacognosy.

DOI: 10.1007/s11418-024-01856-5
PMID: 39470961


3. Biomolecules. 2024 Oct 10;14(10):1275. doi: 10.3390/biom14101275.

Morphological Characterization, Polyphenolic Profile, and Bioactive Properties 
of Limoncella, an Ancient Mediterranean Variety of Sweet Citrus.

Potenza L(1), Saltarelli R(1), Palma F(1), Di Patria L(1), Annibalini G(1), 
Burattini S(1), Gobbi P(1), Valentini L(1), Caprioli G(2), Santanatoglia A(2), 
Vittori S(2), Barbieri E(1).

Author information:
(1)Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029 
Urbino, Italy.
(2)Chemistry Interdisciplinary Project (CHIP), School of Pharmacy, University of 
Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy.

Limoncella of Mattinata, a rare and ancient Mediterranean citrus fruit, was 
investigated by sequence analysis of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 
regions, which assigns it as a variety of Citrus medica L. Morphological, 
chemical, and biomolecular approaches, including light and electron microscopy, 
HPLC-ESI-MS/MS, and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory assays, were used to 
characterize the flavedo and albedo parts, usually rich in bioactive compounds. 
The morphological findings showed albedo and flavedo cellular structures as 
"reservoirs" of nutritional components. Both albedo and flavedo hydroalcoholic 
extracts were rich in polyphenols, but they were different in compounds and 
quantity. The flavedo is rich in p-coumaric acid and rutin, whereas the albedo 
contains high levels of hesperidin and quercitrin. Antioxidant, 
anti-inflammatory, and genoprotective effects for albedo and flavedo were found. 
The results confirmed the health properties of flavedo and highlighted that 
albedo is also a rich source of antioxidants. Moreover, this study valorizes 
Limoncella of Mattinata's nutritional properties, cueing its crops' 
repopulation.

DOI: 10.3390/biom14101275
PMCID: PMC11505904
PMID: 39456208 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

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


4. Curr Issues Mol Biol. 2024 Oct 5;46(10):11207-11219. doi:
10.3390/cimb46100665.

Platycladus orientalis Leaf Extract Promotes Hair Growth via Non-Receptor 
Tyrosine Kinase ACK1 Activation.

Kim J(1), Joo JH(1), Kim J(1), Rim H(1), Shin JY(1), Choi YH(1), Min K(1), Lee 
SY(1), Jun SH(1), Kang NG(1).

Author information:
(1)Household & Health Care (LG H&H) R&D Center, 70, Magokjoongang 10-ro, 
Gangseo-gu, Seoul 07795, Republic of Korea.

Platycladus orientalis is a traditional oriental herbal medicinal plant that is 
widely used as a component of complex prescriptions for alopecia treatment in 
Eastern Asia. The effect of PO on hair growth and its underlying mechanism, 
however, have not been demonstrated or clarified. In this study, we investigated 
the hair-growth-promoting effect of PO in cultured human dermal papilla cells 
(hDPCs). Platycladus orientalis leaf extract (POLE) was found to stimulate the 
proliferation of hDPCs. POLE with higher quercitrin concentration, especially, 
showed a high level of cellular viability. In the context of cellular 
senescence, POLE decreased the expression of p16 (CDKN2A) and p21(CDKN1A), which 
resulted in enhanced proliferation. In addition, growth factor receptors, FGFR1 
and VEGFR2/3, and non-receptor tyrosine kinases, ACK1 and HCK, were 
significantly activated. In addition, LEF1, a transcription factor of 
Wnt/β-catenin signaling, was enhanced, but DKK1, an inhibitor of Wnt/β-catenin 
signaling, was downregulated by POLE treatment in cultured hDPCs. As a 
consequence, the expression of growth factors such as bFGF, KGF, and VEGF were 
also increased by POLE. We further investigated the hair-growth-promoting effect 
of topically administered POLE over a 12-week period. Our data suggest that POLE 
could support terminal hair growth by stimulating proliferation of DPCs and that 
enhanced production of growth factors, especially KGF, occurred as a result of 
tyrosine kinase ACK1 activation.

DOI: 10.3390/cimb46100665
PMCID: PMC11505925
PMID: 39451545

Conflict of interest statement: Authors Jaeyoon Kim, Jang Ho Joo, Juhyun Kim, 
Heena Rim, Yun-Ho Choi, Jae young Shin, Kyoungin Min, So Young Lee, Seung-Hyun 
Jun, and Nae-Gyu Kang were employed by the company LG Household & Healthcare 
Ltd.


5. J Ethnopharmacol. 2024 Oct 18;337(Pt 3):118960. doi:
10.1016/j.jep.2024.118960.  Online ahead of print.

Comparative hepatoprotective effects of flavonoids-rich fractions from flowers 
and leaves of Penthorum chinense Pursh in vitro.

Li YM(1), Yan MM(2), Luo T(2), Zhu W(3), Jiang JG(4).

Author information:
(1)School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, 
Guangzhou, 510640, China; Dermatology Hospital of Southern Medical University, 
Guangzhou, 510091, China; The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou University 
of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China.
(2)School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, 
Guangzhou, 510640, China.
(3)The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 
Guangzhou, 510120, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical 
Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangzhou, 510120, China. 
Electronic address: zhuwei9201@163.com.
(4)School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, 
Guangzhou, 510640, China. Electronic address: jgjiang@scut.edu.cn.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Penthorum chinense Pursh is a traditional Miao 
ethnomedicine rich in bioactive components, widely recognized for its 
hepatoprotective properties. However, the hepatoprotective effects of its 
flowers and leaves have not been individually elucidated.
AIMS OF THE STUDY: The objective of this study was to isolate and purify 
flavonoids-rich fractions from the flowers (PFF) and leaves (PLF) of P. 
chinense, and to assess their potential protective effects against oxidative, 
alcohol-induced, and free fatty acid (FFA) induced injury in hepatic cells.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The P. chinense flowers and leaves flavonoids-rich 
fractions were extracted by the method optimized by response surface 
methodology, and the extracts were subsequently purified using petroleum ether 
and microporous column. The physical characteristics and component composition 
of PFF and PLF were analyzed by FT-IR and UPLC-MS/MS. The hepatoprotective 
activities of PFF and PLF were evaluated by the alcohol, H2O2, and FFA-induced 
hepatocyte injury cellular model in vitro. The protective effects of PFF and PLF 
on the hepatic cells were evaluated by assessing cell apoptosis rate, enzymes 
activities, mitochondrial membrane potential, and mRNA expression in relevant 
signaling pathways.
RESULTS: The results revealed that PFF was mainly composed of pinocembrin, 
quercitrin and quercetin, while PLF was predominantly composed of quercetin, 
pinocembrin, and kaempferol and their derivatives. PFF and PLF exhibited 
distinct effects on increasing the cell proliferation rate, regulating the MDA, 
GOT and GPT levels, and modulating the mRNA expression in apoptosis and 
antioxidant pathways in alcohol damaged LO2 cells. PFF exhibited superior 
efficacy in reducing cell apoptosis in alcohol-damage cells compared to PLF. 
Both PFF and PLF alleviated mitochondrial stress in H2O2-induced LO2 cells. 
Additionally, the PFF and PLF attenuated lipid accumulation and activated mRNA 
expressions in PPARα/ACOX1/CPT-1 lipid metabolism pathways, as well as Nrf2/ARE 
oxidative stress pathways.
CONCLUSION: This study compared the hepatoprotective activities of 
flavonoids-rich fractions purified from the flowers and leaves of P. chinense. 
The results contribute to the enhanced development and utilization of various 
parts of P. chinense aimed at medical and health food applications.

Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118960
PMID: 39426574

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.