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. J Parasitol Res. 2014;2014:434506. doi: 10.1155/2014/434506. Epub 2014 Feb 19. Repellent Activities of Essential Oils of Some Plants Used Traditionally to Control the Brown Ear Tick, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus. Wanzala W(1), Hassanali A(2), Mukabana WR(3), Takken W(4). Author information: (1)Department of Biological Sciences, School of Pure and Applied Sciences, South Eastern Kenya University, P.O. Box 170-90200, Kitui, Kenya ; Behavioural and Chemical Ecology Department, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, African Insect Science for Food and Health, P.O. Box 30772-00100-GPO, Nairobi, Kenya. (2)Behavioural and Chemical Ecology Department, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, African Insect Science for Food and Health, P.O. Box 30772-00100-GPO, Nairobi, Kenya ; Chemistry Department, School of Pure and Applied Sciences, Kenyatta University, P.O. Box 43844-00100-GPO, Nairobi, Kenya. (3)Behavioural and Chemical Ecology Department, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, African Insect Science for Food and Health, P.O. Box 30772-00100-GPO, Nairobi, Kenya ; School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197-00100-GPO, Nairobi, Kenya. (4)Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 8031, 6700 EH Wageningen, The Netherlands. Essential oils of eight plants, selected after an ethnobotanical survey conducted in Bukusu community in Bungoma County, western Kenya (Tagetes minuta, Tithonia diversifolia, Juniperus procera, Solanecio mannii, Senna didymobotrya, Lantana camara, Securidaca longepedunculata, and Hoslundia opposita), were initially screened (at two doses) for their repellence against brown ear tick, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, using a dual-choice climbing assay. The oils of T. minuta and T. diversifolia were then selected for more detailed study. Dose-response evaluations of these oils showed that T. minuta oil was more repellent (RD50 = 0.0021 mg) than that of T. diversifolia (RD50 = 0.263 mg). Gas chromatography-linked mass spectrometric (GC-MS) analyses showed different compositions of the two oils. T. minuta oil is comprised mainly of cis-ocimene (43.78%), dihydrotagetone (16.71%), piperitenone (10.15%), trans-tagetone (8.67%), 3,9-epoxy-p-mentha-1,8(10)diene (6.47%), β -ocimene (3.25%), and cis-tagetone (1.95%), whereas T. diversifolia oil is comprised mainly of α -pinene (63.64%), β -pinene (15.00%), isocaryophyllene (7.62%), nerolidol (3.70%), 1-tridecanol (1.75%), limonene (1.52%), and sabinene (1.00%). The results provide scientific rationale for traditional use of raw products of these plants in controlling livestock ticks by the Bukusu community and lay down some groundwork for exploiting partially refined products such as essential oils of these plants in protecting cattle against infestations with R. appendiculatus. DOI: 10.1155/2014/434506 PMCID: PMC3945150 PMID: 24693417