Psychoactive Plant Database - Neuroactive Phytochemical Collection

1. Int J Angiol. 2024 Jul 8;33(4):262-270. doi: 10.1055/s-0044-1788280.
eCollection  2024 Dec.

Atherogenic Effect of Homocysteine, a Biomarker of Inflammation and Its 
Treatment.

Prasad K(1).

Author information:
(1)Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. 
Ischemic stroke and heart disease, coronary heart disease, and cardiovascular 
disease are events resulting from long-lasting and silent atherosclerosis. This 
paper deals with the synthesis of homocysteine (Hcy), causes of HHcy, mechanism 
of HHcy-induced atherosclerosis, and treatment of HHcy. Synthesis and metabolism 
of Hcy involves demethylation, transmethylation, and transsulfuration, and these 
processes require vitamin B 6 and vitamin B 12 folic acid (vitamin B 9 ). Causes 
of HHcy include deficiency of vitamins B 6 , B 9 , and B 12 , genetic defects, 
use of smokeless tobacco, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, diabetes, 
rheumatoid arthritis, low thyroid hormone, consumption of caffeine, folic acid 
antagonist, cholesterol-lowering drugs (niacin), folic acid antagonist 
(phenytoin), prolonged use of proton pump inhibitors, metformin, and 
hypertension. HHcy-induced atherosclerosis may be mediated through oxidative 
stress, decreased availability of nitric oxide (NO), increased expression of 
monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, smooth muscle cell proliferation, increased 
thrombogenicity, and induction of arterial connective tissue. HHcy increases the 
generation of atherogenic biomolecules such as nuclear factor-kappa B, 
proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8), cell adhesion molecules 
(intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, and 
E-selection), growth factors (IGF-1 and TGF-β), and monocyte colony-stimulating 
factor which lead to the development of atherosclerosis. NO which is protective 
against the development of atherosclerosis is reduced by HHcy. Therapy with 
folic acid, vitamin B 6 , and vitamin B 12 lowers the levels of Hcy, with folic 
acid being the most effective. Dietary sources of folic acid, vitamin B 6 , 
vitamin B 12 , omega-3 fatty acid, and green coffee extract reduce Hcy. 
Abstaining from drinking coffee and alcohol, and smoking also reduces blood 
levels of Hcy. In conclusion, HHcy induces atherosclerosis by generating 
atherogenic biomolecules, and treatment of atherosclerosis-induced diseases may 
be by reducing the levels of Hcy.

International College of Angiology. This article is published by Thieme.

DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1788280
PMCID: PMC11534477
PMID: 39502352

Conflict of interest statement: Conflict of Interest Non declared.


2. J Vis. 2024 Nov 4;24(12):5. doi: 10.1167/jov.24.12.5.

Enhanced visual contrast suppression during peak psilocybin effects: 
Psychophysical results from a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Swanson LR(1)(2), Jungers S(3)(4), Varghese R(5)(6), Cullen KR(3)(7), Evans 
MD(8)(9), Nielson JL(3)(10)(11), Schallmo MP(3)(12).

Author information:
(1)Center for Cognitive Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
(2)link@umn.edu.
(3)Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, 
Minneapolis, MN, USA.
(4)junge061@umn.edu.
(5)Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
(6)rvarghes@umn.edu.
(7)rega0026@umn.edu.
(8)Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Minnesota, 
Minneapolis, MN, USA.
(9)evan0262@umn.edu.
(10)Institute for Health Informatics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 
USA.
(11)jnielson@umn.edu.
(12)schal110@umn.edu.

In visual perception, an effect known as surround suppression occurs wherein the 
apparent contrast of a center stimulus is reduced when it is presented within a 
higher-contrast surrounding stimulus. Many key aspects of visual perception 
involve surround suppression, yet the neuromodulatory processes involved remain 
unclear. Psilocybin is a serotonergic psychedelic compound known for its robust 
effects on visual perception, particularly texture, color, object, and motion 
perception. We asked whether surround suppression is altered under peak effects 
of psilocybin. Using a contrast-matching task with different center-surround 
stimulus configurations, we measured surround suppression after 25 mg of 
psilocybin compared with placebo (100 mg niacin). Data on harms were collected, 
and no serious adverse events were reported. After taking psilocybin, 
participants (n = 6) reported stronger surround suppression of perceived 
contrast compared to placebo. Furthermore, we found that the intensity of 
subjective psychedelic visuals induced by psilocybin correlated positively with 
the magnitude of surround suppression. We note the potential relevance of our 
findings for the field of psychiatry, given that studies have demonstrated 
weakened visual surround suppression in both major depressive disorder and 
schizophrenia. Our findings are thus relevant to understanding the visual 
effects of psilocybin, and the potential mechanisms of visual disruption in 
mental health disorders.

DOI: 10.1167/jov.24.12.5
PMCID: PMC11540033
PMID: 39499526 [Indexed for MEDLINE]


3. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024 Oct 21;15:1438373. doi: 
10.3389/fendo.2024.1438373. eCollection 2024.

U-shaped association between dietary niacin intake and chronic kidney disease 
among US elderly: a nationwide cross-sectional study.

Xie Z(1)(2), Peng S(1)(2), Ou G(1)(2), Zhou X(1)(2), Zhang G(1)(2), Jiang 
H(1)(2), Zhang T(3), Chen N(1)(2).

Author information:
(1)Meizhou Clinical Institute of Shantou University Medical College, Meizhou, 
China.
(2)Department of Urology, Meizhou People's Hospital (Meizhou Academy of Medical 
Sciences), Meizhou, China.
(3)Departments of Radiology, Meizhou People's Hospital (Meizhou Academy of 
Medical Sciences), Meizhou, China.

BACKGROUND: In addition to hypertension or diabetes, elderly people are also 
considered one of the high-risk groups for chronic kidney disease (CKD). 
Although niacin is recognized for its renal protective properties, the link 
between dietary niacin intake and CKD remains uncertain. This study investigated 
this relationship in the elderly.
METHODS: We included participants aged 60 and older from the National Health and 
Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for the years 2003-2018. Dietary niacin 
intake was assessed through two non-consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls. CKD was 
diagnosed in individuals with a urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio exceeding 30 
mg/g or an estimated glomerular filtration rate below 60 mL/min per 1.73 m^2. 
The study cohort comprised 4,649 participants, 1,632 of whom had CKD. Propensity 
score matching (PSM) was utilized to adjust for baseline differences between the 
groups.
RESULTS: Our analysis, using smooth curve fitting and generalized additive 
models both before and after PSM, found a U-shaped curve depicting the 
relationship between dietary niacin intake and CKD risk, confirmed by a 
log-likelihood ratio test (P < 0.05). Threshold effect analysis (after PSM) 
indicated a reduced risk of CKD in older adults with a niacin intake below 38.83 
mg per day [odds ratio (OR) = 0.99, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.97-1.00]. In 
contrast, higher intake levels significantly increased the risk (OR = 1.03, 95% 
CI 1.00-1.06). Subgroup analysis indicated that these associations were 
consistent across different stratification variables (P for interaction > 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Our findings suggested a U-shaped association between dietary niacin 
intake and CKD risk among older Americans. However, further prospective cohort 
studies are needed to confirm this finding.

Copyright © 2024 Xie, Peng, Ou, Zhou, Zhang, Jiang, Zhang and Chen.

DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1438373
PMCID: PMC11532146
PMID: 39497801 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

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 a potential conflict of interest.


4. Exp Gerontol. 2024 Oct 26:112624. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2024.112624. Online
ahead  of print.

Antioxidant and neuro-modulatory effects of niacin prevent D-galactose-induced 
behavioral deficits and memory impairment.

Samad N(1), Hameed A(2), Manzoor N(2), Shoukat S(2), Irfan A(3), Shazly GA(4), 
Khalid A(2), Ejaz U(2), Khaliq S(5), Mateev E(6), Bin Jardan YA(7).

Author information:
(1)Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Bahauddin Zakariya 
University, 60800 Multan, Pakistan. Electronic address: noreen.samad@bzu.edu.pk.
(2)Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Bahauddin Zakariya 
University, 60800 Multan, Pakistan.
(3)Department of Chemistry, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 
38000, Pakistan. Electronic address: raialiirfan@gmail.com.
(4)Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, 
Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: gaahmed@ksu.edu.sa.
(5)Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Federal Urdu University of 
Arts, Science and Technology, 75270 Karachi, Pakistan. Electronic address: 
saima.khaliq@fuuast.edu.pk.
(6)Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical 
University, Sofia, Bulgaria. Electronic address: e.mateev@pharmfac.mu-sofia.bg.
(7)Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, 
Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: ybinjardan@ksu.edu.sa.

Aging is an invincible phenomenon that is a risk factor for the development of 
neurological disorders such as anxiety, depression, and memory decline that are 
prominent in aging. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of Niacin (Nn) 
on D-galactose (D-Gal)-induced behavioral deficits and memory impairment in 
rats. In the experiment, forty-eight male albino Sprague dwaley rats were 
divided on a random basis into six groups (n = 8): Veh + Veh, Veh + Nn (low 
dose), Veh + Nn (high dose), Veh + D-Gal, D-Gal+Nn (low dose), D-Gal+Nn (high 
dose). 300 mg/kg/mL drug doses of D-Gal, while low doses (25 mg/kg/mL) and high 
doses (50 mg/kg/mL) of Nn were used in this study. Animals received their 
respective treatment for 14 days (intraperitoneally, once daily). After 14 days, 
animals were subjected to different behavioral tests including light-dark box 
activity, elevated plus maze test (for anxiety), and tail suspension test (for 
depression). A Morris water maze test was performed to evaluate short-term and 
long-term memory performance. After behavioral tests, decapitation was performed 
and brains were collected and stored for biochemical and neurochemical analysis. 
Behavioral analysis revealed that Nn alleviated the anxiety and depression-like 
symptoms and memory decline induced by D-Gal. D-Gal-induced decreased 
antioxidant enzymes, and acetylcholine levels, while increased oxidative stress 
markers, neuro-inflammatory cytokines, serotonin metabolism, and 
acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity were prevented by Nn administration at both 
doses. In-silico studies showed that Nn has a potential to inhibit AChE activity 
with a binding affinity of -5.0 kcal/mol. In conclusion, Nn as an antioxidant 
and neuromodulator could be helpful for treating aging and associated 
psychiatric illnesses.

Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.

DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2024.112624
PMID: 39490558


5. Anal Chem. 2024 Oct 31. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c01778. Online ahead of 
print.

Rapid Convolutional Algorithm for the Discovery of Blueberry Honey Authenticity 
Markers via Nontargeted LC-MS Analysis.

Chahal S(1), Tian L(1), Bilamjian S(1), Balogh F(2), De Leoz L(3), Anumol T(3), 
Cuthbertson D(3), Bayen S(1).

Author information:
(1)Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry, McGill University, 
21111 Lakeshore Rd, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec H9X 3V9, Canada.
(2)Department of Mathematics, John Abbott College, 21275 Lakeshore Rd, 
Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec H9X 3L9, Canada.
(3)Agilent CrossLab Group, Agilent Technologies, 5301 Stevens Creek Blvd, Santa 
Clara, California 95051, United States.

Bees produce honey through the collection and transformation of nectar, whose 
botanical origin impacts the taste, nutritional value, and, therefore, the 
market price of the resulting honey. This phenomenon has led some to mislabel 
their honey so that it can be sold at a higher price. Metabolomics has been 
gaining popularity in food authentication, but rapid data mining algorithms are 
needed to facilitate the discovery of new authenticity markers. A nontargeted 
high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HR/LC-MS) analysis of 
262 monofloral honey samples, of which 50 were blueberry honey, was performed. 
Data mining methods were demonstrated for the discovery of binary single-markers 
(compound was only detected in blueberry honey), threshold single-markers 
(compound had the highest concentration in blueberry honey), and interval 
ratio-markers (the ratio of two compounds was within a unique interval in 
blueberry honey). A novel convolutional algorithm was developed for the 
discovery of interval ratio-markers, which trained 14× faster and achieved a 0.2 
Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) units higher classification score than 
existing open-source implementations. The convolutional algorithm also had 
classification performance similar to that of a brute-force search but trained 
1521× faster. A pipeline for shortlisting candidate authenticity markers from 
the LC-MS spectra that may be suitable for chemical structure identification was 
also demonstrated and led to the identification of niacin as a blueberry honey 
threshold single-marker. This work demonstrates an end-to-end approach to mine 
the honey metabolome for novel authenticity markers and can readily be applied 
to other types of food and analytical chemistry instruments.

DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c01778
PMID: 39479961