Psychoactive Plant Database - Neuroactive Phytochemical Collection

1. Chembiochem. 2024 Oct 14:e202400672. doi: 10.1002/cbic.202400672. Online ahead
 of print.

Determinants of Product Outcome in Two Sesquiterpene Synthases from the 
Thermotolerant Bacterium Rubrobacter radiotolerans.

Scrutton N(1), Whitehead JN(2), Leferink NGH(2), Hay S(2).

Author information:
(1)Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Faculty fo Life Sciences, 131 Princess 
Street, M1 7DN, Manchester, UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN 
IRELAND.
(2)The University of Manchester, Chemistry, M1 7DN, UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT 
BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND.

Rubrobacter radiotolerans nerolidol synthase (NerS) and trans-α-bergamotene 
synthase (BerS) are among the first terpene synthases (TSs) discovered from 
thermotolerant bacteria, and, despite sharing the same substrate, make terpenoid 
products with different carbon scaffolds. Here, the potential thermostability of 
NerS and BerS was investigated, and NerS was found to retain activity up to 55 
°C. A library of 22 NerS and BerS variants was designed to probe the differing 
reaction mechanisms of NerS and BerS, including residues putatively involved in 
substrate sequestration, cation-π stabilisation of reactive intermediates, and 
shaping of the active site contour. Two BerS variants showed improved in vivo 
titres vs the WT enzyme, and also yielded different ratios of the related 
sesquiterpenoids (E)-β-farnesene and trans-α-bergamotene. BerS-L86F was proposed 
to encourage substrate isomerisation by cation-π stabilisation of the first 
cationic intermediate, resulting in a greater proportion of trans-α-bergamotene. 
By contrast, BerS-S82L significantly preferred (E)-β-farnesene formation, 
attributed to steric blocking of the isomerisation step, consistent with what 
has been observed in several plant TSs. Our work highlights the importance of 
isomerisation as a key determinant of product outcome in TSs, and shows how a 
combined computational and experimental approach can characterise TSs and 
variants with improved and altered functionality.

© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.

DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400672
PMID: 39400489


2. Antibiotics (Basel). 2024 May 28;13(6):499. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics13060499.

Combination of Chromatographic Analysis and Chemometric Methods with Bioactivity 
Evaluation of the Antibacterial Properties of Helichrysum italicum Essential 
Oil.

Zeremski T(1), Šovljanski O(2), Vukić V(2), Lončar B(2), Rat M(3), Perković 
Vukčević N(4)(5), Aćimović M(1), Pezo L(6).

Author information:
(1)Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia.
(2)Faculty of Technology, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia.
(3)Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia.
(4)National Poison Control Centre, Military Medical Academy, 11000 Belgrade, 
Serbia.
(5)Faculty of Medicine of the Military Medical Academy, University of Defense, 
11042 Belgrade, Serbia.
(6)Institute of General and Physical Chemistry, University of Belgrade, 11158 
Belgrade, Serbia.

Helichrysum italicum (immortelle) essential oil is one of the most popular 
essential oils worldwide and it has many beneficial properties, including 
antimicrobial. However, in this plant, the chemical diversity of the essential 
oil is very pronounced. The aim of this work was to process the GC-MS results of 
four samples of H. italicum essential oil of Serbian origin by chemometric 
tools, and evaluate the antimicrobial activity in vitro and in silico. Overall, 
47 compounds were identified, the most abundant were γ-curcumene, α-pinene, and 
ar-curcumene, followed by α-ylangene, neryl acetate, trans-caryophyllene, 
italicene, α-selinene, limonene, and italidiones. Although the four samples of 
H. italicum essential oil used in this study were obtained from different 
producers in Serbia, they belong to the type of essential oil rich in 
sesquiterpenes (γ-curcumene and ar-curcumene chemotype). In vitro antimicrobial 
potential showed that five were sensitive among ten strains of tested 
microorganisms: Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, 
Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Candida albicans. Therefore, these microorganism 
models were used further for in silico molecular docking through the mechanism 
of ATP-ase inhibitory activity. Results showed that among all compounds from H. 
italicum essential oil, neryl acetate has the highest predicted binding energy. 
Artificial neural network modeling (ANN) showed that two major compounds 
γ-curcumene and α-pinene, as well as minor compounds such as trans-β-ocimene, 
terpinolene, terpinene-4-ol, isoitalicene, italicene, cis-α-bergamotene, 
trans-α-bergamotene, italidiones, trans-β-farnesene, γ-selinene, β-selinene, 
α-selinene, and guaiol are responsible for the antimicrobial activity of H. 
italicum essential oil. The results of this study indicate that H. italicum 
essential oil samples rich in γ-curcumene, α-pinene, and ar-curcumene cultivated 
in Serbia (Balkan) have antimicrobial potential both in vitro and in silico. In 
addition, according to ANN modeling, the proportion of neryl acetate and other 
compounds detected in these samples has the potential to exhibit antimicrobial 
activity.

DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13060499
PMCID: PMC11201240
PMID: 38927166

Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflict of interest.


3. Nat Prod Res. 2024 May 30:1-19. doi: 10.1080/14786419.2024.2357662. Online
ahead  of print.

Bio-active compounds and major biomedical properties of basil (Ocimum basilicum, 
lamiaceae).

Vassilina G(1), Sabitova A(2), Idrisheva Z(3), Zhumabekova A(4), Kanapiyeva 
F(1), Orynbassar R(5), Zhamanbayeva M(3), Kamalova M(6), Assilbayeva J(7), 
Turgumbayeva A(8), Abilkassymova A(9).

Author information:
(1)Department of Physical Chemistry, Catalysis and Petrochemistry, Faculty of 
Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, 
Kazakhstan.
(2)Department of Chemical Technology and Ecology, Shakarim University of Semey, 
Semey, Kazakhstan.
(3)D. Serikbayev East, Kazakhstan Technical University, Ust-Kamenogorsk, 
Kazakhstan.
(4)Department of Chemistry, Chemical Technology and Ecology, Faculty of 
Technology, Kazakh University of Technology and Business, Astana, Kazakhstan.
(5)Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, K.Zhubanov Aktobe Regional 
University, Aktobe, Kazakhstan.
(6)Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, 
Almaty, Kazakhstan.
(7)Department of Pharmaceutical Disciplines, Astana Medical University, Astana, 
Kazakhstan.
(8)Higher School of Medicine, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, 
Kazakhstan.
(9)School of Pharmacy, Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University, Almaty, 
Kazakhstan.

Due to the numerous health benefits and therapeutic properties, herbs and plant 
metabolites/extracts are gaining popularity. This is particularly evident in the 
current era of drug resistance and the adverse effects of chemical drugs. Ocimum 
basilicum, also known as basil, has been extensively studied for its 
pharmacological benefits, including antimicrobial, antifungal, antioxidant, 
anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and wound healing properties. As a result, this 
plant has the potential to treat a wide range of diseases in both humans and 
animals. Ocimum basilicum contains various bioactive chemical compounds, such as 
neryl acetate, 1,8-cineole, p-allylanisole, geraniol, methyl eugenol, methyl 
chavicol, and trans-α-bergamotene. The latest advancements in technology can be 
utilised to enhance the beneficial properties of raw Ocimum basilicum extract. 
This review compiles and presents the profile of phytocomponents and 
pharmacological properties of Ocimum basilicum. The findings presented here will 
contribute to further research on this remarkable herb, aiming to develop 
effective pharmaceutical solutions for various health issues in humans and 
animals.

DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2024.2357662
PMID: 38813679


4. Plants (Basel). 2024 Mar 24;13(7):939. doi: 10.3390/plants13070939.

Variation in the Floral Scent Chemistry of Nymphaea 'Eldorado', a Valuable Water 
Lily, with Different Flowering Stages and Flower Parts.

Zhou Q(1)(2), Zhao F(3), Shi M(4), Zhang H(2), Zhu Z(2).

Author information:
(1)College of Environmental Ecology, Jiangsu Open University, Nanjing 210036, 
China.
(2)College of Landscape Architecture, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 
210037, China.
(3)College of Architectural Engineering, Jiangsu Open University, Nanjing 
210036, China.
(4)State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang Agriculture and 
Forestry University, Hangzhou 311300, China.

Nymphaea 'Eldorado', a valuable water lily, is a well-known fragrant plant in 
China. Studying the temporal and spatial characteristics of the floral 
components of this plant can provide a reference for the further development and 
utilization of water lily germplasm resources. In this study, headspace 
solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with gas chromatography-mass 
spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to explore the types and relative contents of 
floral components at different flowering stages (S1: bud stage; S2: 
initial-flowering stage; S3: full-flowering stage; S4: end-flowering stage) and 
in different floral organs of N. 'Elidorado', combined with the observation of 
the microscopic structure of petals. A total of 60 volatile organic compounds 
(VOCs) were detected at different flowering stages, and there were significant 
differences in floral VOCs at different flowering stages and in different flower 
organs. The volatile compounds of N. 'Eldorado' can be divided into seven 
chemical classes,, namely, alkenes, alcohols, esters, aldehydes, ketones, 
alkanes, and others; the most common were alkenes and alkanes. A total of 39, 
44, 47, and 42 volatile compounds were detected at S1, S2, S3, and S4. The VOCs 
present in high concentrations include benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, benzyl 
acetate, trans-α-bergamotene, α-curcumene, cis-α-farnesene, and so on. The types 
and total contents of volatiles at the full-flowering stage were higher than at 
other flowering stages. Comparing the VOCs in different parts of flower organs, 
it was found that the contents of alcohols, esters, and aldehydes were greatest 
in the petals, the alkenes in stamens were abundant with a relative content of 
up to 54.93%, and alkanes in the pistil were higher than in other parts. The 
types and total contents of volatiles in the stamens of N. 'Eldorado' were 
higher than those in other flower organs; they were the main part releasing 
fragrance. The observation of petal microstructure revealed that the size and 
quantity of the papillae on the epidermises of petals, the number of 
intracellular plastids, and the aggregates of floral components (osmophilic 
matrix granules) were significantly higher at the full-flowering stage than at 
the other flowering stages. This study suggested the main flowering stage and 
location at which the floral VOCs are released by N. 'Eldorado' and provided a 
reference for guiding the breeding of this water lily, exploring genetic 
patterns and developing related products.

DOI: 10.3390/plants13070939
PMCID: PMC11013332
PMID: 38611469

Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.


5. Physiol Plant. 2024 Jan-Feb;176(1):e14216. doi: 10.1111/ppl.14216.

Comparative analysis of defensive secondary metabolites in wild teosinte and 
cultivated maize under flooding and herbivory stress.

Mleziva AD(1), Ngumbi EN(1).

Author information:
(1)Department of Entomology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, 
IL, USA.

Climate change is driving an alarming increase in the frequency and intensity of 
abiotic and biotic stress factors, negatively impacting plant development and 
agricultural productivity. To survive, plants respond by inducing changes in 
below and aboveground metabolism with concomitant alterations in defensive 
secondary metabolites. While plant responses to the isolated stresses of 
flooding and insect herbivory have been extensively studied, much less is known 
about their response in combination. Wild relatives of cultivated plants with 
robust stress tolerance traits provide an excellent system for comparing how 
diverse plant species respond to combinatorial stress, and provide insight into 
potential germplasms for stress-tolerant hybrids. In this study, we compared the 
below and aboveground changes in the secondary metabolites of maize (Zea mays) 
and a flood-tolerant wild relative Nicaraguan teosinte (Zea nicaraguensis) in 
response to flooding, insect herbivory, and their combination. Root tissue was 
analyzed for changes in belowground metabolism. Leaf total phenolic content and 
headspace volatile organic compound emission were analyzed for changes in 
aboveground secondary metabolism. Results revealed significant differences in 
the root metabolome profiles of teosinte and maize. Notably, the accumulation of 
the flavonoids apigenin, naringenin, and luteolin during flooding and herbivory 
differentiated teosinte from maize. Aboveground, terpenes, including 
trans-α-bergamotene and (E)-4,8-dimethylnona-1,3,7-triene, shaped compositional 
differences in their volatile profiles between flooding, herbivory, and their 
combination. Taken together, these results suggest teosinte may be more tolerant 
than maize due to dynamic metabolic changes during flooding and herbivory that 
help relieve stress and influence plant-insect interactions.

© 2024 The Authors. Physiologia Plantarum published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on 
behalf of Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

DOI: 10.1111/ppl.14216
PMID: 38366721 [Indexed for MEDLINE]