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. Phytochemistry. 2005 Dec;66(23):2708-13. doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2005.09.012. Epub 2005 Nov 11. Three sesquiterpene hydrocarbons from the roots of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer (Araliaceae). Richter R(1), Basar S, Koch A, König WA. Author information: (1)Institut für Organische Chemie, Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King Platz 6, D-20146 Hamburg, Germany. ririchter@gmx.de The volatile constituents of the roots of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer have been investigated after hydrodistillation and analysed by means of different analytical methods. Besides several compounds already known three sesquiterpene hydrocarbons have been isolated from the essential oil. Structure elucidation of the bicyclic panaxene as well as of the tricyclic panaginsene and ginsinsene was performed by MS and NMR. They have been identified as (1R*,2S*,5S*)-2-ethenyl-1(1-methylethenyl)-2,6,6-trimethylbicyclo[3.2.0]heptane (panaxene), (1S*,8S*,11R*)-4,7,7,11-tetramethyltricyclo[6.3.0.0(1,5)]undec-4-ene (panaginsene) und (1R*,6R*,7R*)-3,7,10,10-tetramethyltricyclo[4.3.2.0(2,6)]undec-2-ene (ginsinsene). DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2005.09.012 PMID: 16289255 [Indexed for MEDLINE]