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. Molecules. 2020 Dec 25;26(1):70. doi: 10.3390/molecules26010070. Alkaloids with Anti-Onchocercal Activity from Voacanga africana Stapf (Apocynaceae): Identification and Molecular Modeling. Babiaka SB(1)(2), Simoben CV(3), Abuga KO(4), Mbah JA(1), Karpoormath R(5), Ongarora D(4), Mugo H(4), Monya E(6), Cho-Ngwa F(6), Sippl W(3), Loveridge EJ(7), Ntie-Kang F(1)(3)(8). Author information: (1)Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea CM-00237, Cameroon. (2)AgroEco Health Platform, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Cotonou, Abomey-Calavi BEN-00229, Benin. (3)Institute for Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3, 06120 Halle, Germany. (4)Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Nairobi, Nairobi P.O. Box 19676-00202, Kenya. (5)Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa. (6)ANDI Centre of Excellence for Onchocerciasis Drug Research, Biotechnology Unit, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea CM-00237, Cameroon. (7)Department of Chemistry, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK. (8)Institute of Botany, Technical University of Dresden, 01217 Dresden, Germany. A new iboga-vobasine-type isomeric bisindole alkaloid named voacamine A (1), along with eight known compounds-voacangine (2), voacristine (3), coronaridine (4), tabernanthine (5), iboxygaine (6), voacamine (7), voacorine (8) and conoduramine (9)-were isolated from the stem bark of Voacangaafricana. The structures of the compounds were determined by comprehensive spectroscopic analyses. Compounds 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8 were found to inhibit the motility of both the microfilariae (Mf) and adult male worms of Onchocerca ochengi, in a dose-dependent manner, but were only moderately active on the adult female worms upon biochemical assessment at 30 μM drug concentrations. The IC50 values of the isolates are 2.49-5.49 µM for microfilariae and 3.45-17.87 µM for adult males. Homology modeling was used to generate a 3D model of the O. ochengi thioredoxin reductase target and docking simulation, followed by molecular dynamics and binding free energy calculations attempted to offer an explanation of the anti-onchocercal structure-activity relationship (SAR) of the isolated compounds. These alkaloids are new potential leads for the development of antifilarial drugs. The results of this study validate the traditional use of V. africana in the treatment of human onchocerciasis. DOI: 10.3390/molecules26010070 PMCID: PMC7795662 PMID: 33375687 [Indexed for MEDLINE] Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflict of interest. 2. Planta Med. 1983 Mar;47(3):148-50. doi: 10.1055/s-2007-969974. Tertiary indole alkaloids from leaves of Tabernaemontana dichotoma. Perera P(1), Samuelsson G, van Beek TA, Verpoorte R. Author information: (1)Department of Pharmacognosy, Biomedical Center, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden. Seven indole alkaloids were isolated and identified from the leaves of Tabernaemontana dichotoma Roxb. The major alkaloids were: perivine, 19-epi-voacristine, 12-methoxy-voaphylline and vobasine. (-)apparicine, 19-epi-iboxygaine and isomethuenine occurred in minor amounts. DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-969974 PMID: 17404903 3. Experientia. 1959 Dec 15;15:456-7. doi: 10.1007/BF02158249. [Voacanga alkaloids. III. Voacristine: identity with voacangarine and decomposition to iboxygaine and ibogaine]. [Article in German] RENNER U, PRINS DA. DOI: 10.1007/BF02158249 PMID: 14437366 [Indexed for MEDLINE]