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 Nat Prod. 2014 May 23;77(5):1185-92. doi: 10.1021/np500074q. Epub 2014 May 2. Diterpenoids from the flowers of Rhododendron molle. Zhou SZ(1), Yao S, Tang C, Ke C, Li L, Lin G, Ye Y. Author information: (1)State Key Laboratory of Drug Research & Natural Products Chemistry Department, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences , 555 Zu-Chong-Zhi Road, Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, Shanghai 201203, People's Republic of China. A new seco-kalmane-type diterpenoid, seco-rhodomollone (1), five new grayanane-type diterpenoids, rhodomollein XXI (2), 6-O-acetylrhodomollein XXI (3), 6,14-di-O-acetylrhodomollein XXI (4), rhodomollein XXII (5), and 2-O-methylrhodomollein XI (6), and two new kalmane-type diterpenoids, rhodomolleins XXIII (7) and XXIV (8), together with seven known compounds, were isolated from the flowers of Rhododendron molle collected in Guangxi Province, China. The absolute configurations of 1 and 3 were defined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments. Compound 1 possesses an unprecedented 1,5-seco-kalmane skeleton presumably derived by cleavage of the C-1-C-5 bond of the kalmane skeleton. Compounds 2-4 represent the first examples from a natural source of grayanane-type diterpenoids with a chlorine substituent. DOI: 10.1021/np500074q PMID: 24787118 [Indexed for MEDLINE]