Psychoactive Plant Database - Neuroactive Phytochemical Collection

1. Saudi Pharm J. 2024 Nov;32(11):102184. doi: 10.1016/j.jsps.2024.102184. Epub 
2024 Oct 2.

Identification of compounds from Origanum compactum and Origanum elongatum using 
HPLC/UV-ESI-MS and comparative analysis of their antioxidant, antimicrobial, 
anticoagulant, and antidiabetic properties.

Al Kamaly O(1), Drioiche A(2)(3), Remok F(2), Saidi S(2), El Imache A(4), El 
Makhoukhi F(2), Alsfouk BA(1), Zair T(2).

Author information:
(1)Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Princess Nourah 
bint Abdulrahman. University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia.
(2)Research Team of Chemistry of Bioactive Molecules and the Environment, 
Laboratory of Innovative Materials and Biotechnology of Natural Resources, 
Faculty of Sciences, Moulay Ismaïl University, B.P. 11201 Zitoune, Meknes 50070, 
Morocco.
(3)Higher Institute of Nursing Professions and Health Techniques of Fez, 
Regional Health Directorate Fez-Meknes, EL Ghassani Hospital, 30000 Fez, 
Morocco.
(4)Laboratory of Innovative Technologies, Process Engineering Department, Higher 
School of Technology Fez, USMBA, Fes, Morocco.

The aim was to assess the phytochemical composition, phenolic component levels, 
and biological properties of the flowering tops of Origanum compactum and 
Origanum elongatum. The study employed phytochemical assays, spectrophotometric 
techniques for quantitative analysis of polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannins, 
and compound identification using HPLC/UV-ESI-MS. The antimicrobial, 
antioxidant, anticoagulant, and antidiabetic properties were examined both in 
vitro and in vivo. The results showed that the O. compactum extract had 
significantly high levels of total polyphenols, measuring 47.368 mg gallic acid 
equivalents per gram, and flavonoids, measuring 14.839 mg quercetin equivalents 
per gram. The phytochemical examination of O. compactum revealed that 
lithospermic acid accounted for 36.82 % of the chemicals detected, followed by 
salvianolic acid C at 12.57 % and ros-marinic acid at 6.01 %. The main 
constituents of O. elongatum are salvianolic acid C (14.46 %), 
luteolin-3-O-glucuronide (13.51 %), salvianolic acid B (12.24 %), rosmarinic 
acid (7.83 %), and rutin (6.18 %). The results demonstrated different levels of 
effectiveness against the investigated microorganisms, with the extract from O. 
compactum exhibiting better activity, particularly against Gram-negative 
bacteria, certain yeasts, and the fungus Aspergillus niger. The aqueous extracts 
of both Origanum species demonstrate significant antioxidant activity. O. 
compactum has a higher total antioxidant capacity (IC50 of 35.083 μg/mL) 
compared to O. elongatum (IC50 of 77.080 μg/mL). However, O. elongatum has a 
higher reducing power (35.697 μg/mL) compared to O. compactum (42.563 μg/mL). In 
vivo evaluations revealed that the aqueous extracts of O. compactum and O. 
elongatum possess significant antihyperglycemic and anticoagulant properties. 
The extracts demonstrated a marked reduction in blood glucose levels during the 
oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in Wistar rats and effectively prolonged both 
prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), 
highlighting their ability to inhibit coagulation pathways. Moreover, their 
comparable efficacy to standard antihyperglycemic medications and absence of 
severe toxicity, even at high doses, underscore their therapeutic potential for 
safe and effective treatment applications. Between the two species, O. compactum 
exhibited superior efficacy in key biological activities such as antioxidant, 
antimicrobial, and anticoagulant properties, making it a strong candidate for 
therapeutic applications. This study underscores the value of Origanum species 
as a rich source of bioactive compounds, offering significant potential in 
pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and agri-food industries. The findings pave the 
way for further exploration of their diverse applications.

© 2024 The Author(s).

DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2024.102184
PMCID: PMC11483316
PMID: 39420992

Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare that they have no known 
competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared 
to influence the work reported in this paper.


2. Curr Comput Aided Drug Des. 2024 Oct 10. doi: 
10.2174/0115734099318174240926103444. Online ahead of print.

Exploring the Potential Mechanisms of Danshen for the Treatment of Ulcerative 
Colitis based on Serum Pharmacochemistry, Gene Expression Profiling, and Network 
Pharmacology: Regulation of Cell Apoptosis and Inflammatory Response.

Zhai RX(1)(2), Wang MY(1)(2)(3), Du HT(4), Yan CX(1)(2), Li ZW(1)(2), Xu 
K(1)(2), Li H(1)(2), Fu XJ(1)(2), Ren X(1)(2).

Author information:
(1)Marine Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Center, Qingdao Academy of 
Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese 
Medicine, Qingdao, 266114, China.
(2)Qingdao Key Technology Innovation Center of Marine Traditional Chinese 
Medicine Deep Development and Industrialization, Qingdao, 266114, China.
(3)State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau 
University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China.
(4)College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 
Jinan, 250355, China.

BACKGROUND: As a traditional Chinese medicine, Danshen shows potential efficacy 
for treating ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the bioactive components and mode 
of action were unclear.
AIM OF THIS STUDY: This paper uses a combination of network pharmacology, serum 
medicinal chemistry, and gene expression profiling to clarify its possible 
molecular mechanism of action and material basis.
METHODS: Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry 
(UPLC-MS) was utilized to analyze the herbal components and metabolites from the 
serum of Danshen-treated mice. Gene expression profiles were applied to 
construct a database of Danshen action targets. Then, active 
ingredient-target-biological functional module networks were constructed to 
analyze the mechanism of action. Molecular docking has further confirmed the 
possibility of its components to the targets.
RESULTS: As a result, 193 common targets between 1684 Danshen-related DEGs and 
1492 UC targets were determined as the potential targets for Danshen in 
treatment with UC. Serum pharmacochemistry and target prediction showed that 22 
components in serum acted on 777 targets. Intersection with common targets 
yielded 46 core targets, and an active ingredienttarget- biological functional 
module network was constructed for analysis. Network prediction and molecular 
docking results showed that the main action modules were inflammatory response 
and cell apoptosis, which mainly acted on targets SRC, RELA, HSP90AA1, CTNNB1, 
STAT3, and CASP3. The main components of Danshen intervention in UC were 
predicted to include Catechol, 3,9-Dimethoxypterocarpan, 8-Prenylnaringenin, 
Isoferulic acid, Salvianolic acid C, and Danshensu.
CONCLUSION: The present study provides a scientific foundation for further 
explicating the mechanisms of Danshen against UC.

Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at 
epub@benthamscience.net.

DOI: 10.2174/0115734099318174240926103444
PMID: 39390832


3. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2024 Sep 20:e202411688. doi: 10.1002/anie.202411688. 
Online ahead of print.

Structure-Guided Discovery of a Potent Inhibitor of the Ferric Citrate Binding 
Protein FecB in Vibrio Bacteria.

Jiang J(1), Okuda S(1), Itoh H(1), Okamoto K(1), Nakanishi H(2), Suzuki M(1), Lu 
P(1)(3), Nagata K(1)(4)(5).

Author information:
(1)Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural 
and Life Science, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 
113-8657, Japan.
(2)Department of Global Agricultural Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural 
and Life Science, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 
113-8657, Japan.
(3)Future Food Laboratory, Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang 
University, 828, Zhongxing Road, Xitang Town, Jiashan County, Jiaxing City, 
Zhejiang Province, 314100, China.
(4)Agricultural Bioinformatics Research Unit, Graduate School of Agricultural 
and Life Science, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 
113-8657, Japan.
(5)Research Center for Food Safety, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life 
Science, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.

Infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria present a significant risk to human 
health worldwide. Novel strategies are needed to deal with the challenge caused 
by drug-resistant bacteria. Here, we report a new approach to combat infections 
by targeting iron-binding proteins to suppress bacterial growth. We investigated 
the function of the conserved periplasmic binding protein FecB from Vibrio 
alginolyticus. FecB was known to play a crucial role in the bacterial growth and 
to relate with biofilm formation. We then solved the crystal structures and 
elucidated the binding mechanism of FecB with ferric ion chelated by citrate. 
The results indicated that FecB binds weakly to one citrate molecule and 
strongly to the Fe3+-(citrate)2 complex. Based on these results, a 
structure-based virtual screening approach was conducted against FecB to 
identify small molecules that block ferric citrate uptake. Further evaluations 
in vivo and in vitro demonstrated that salvianolic acid C significantly 
suppressed bacterial growth, indicating that targeting bacterial nutrient 
absorption is a promising strategy for identifying potential antibacterial 
drugs.

© 2024 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by 
Wiley-VCH GmbH.

DOI: 10.1002/anie.202411688
PMID: 39304960


4. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2024 Jul 1;17(7):859. doi: 10.3390/ph17070859.

Salvia verticillata (L.)-Biological Activity, Chemical Profile, and Future 
Perspectives.

Ivanova S(1)(2), Dzhakova Z(1), Staynova R(3), Ivanov K(1)(2).

Author information:
(1)Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of 
Pharmacy, Medical University of Plovdiv, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
(2)Research Institute, Medical University of Plovdiv, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
(3)Department of Organisation and Economics of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, 
Medical University of Plovdiv, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Species belonging to the genus Salvia, Lamiaceae, have been deeply involved in 
the folk medicine of different nations since ancient times. Lilac sage, or 
Salvia verticillata L. (S. verticillata) is a less studied species from the 
genus. However, it seems to have a prominent potential for the future drug 
discovery strategies of novel phytopharmaceuticals. This review aims to 
summarise the data on the biological activity and the phytochemical profile of 
extracts and essential oils derived from S. verticillata. This review is based 
on data from 57 in vitro and in vivo studies. The chemical profile of S. 
verticillata includes different synergic compounds like phenolic acids, 
flavonoids, terpenes, and salvianolic acids. Although some small amounts of 
salvianolic acid B were found in S. verticillata extracts, the major compound 
among the salvianolic acids is salvianolic acid C, a compound associated with 
the potential for improving liver fibrosis, cardio- and hepatoprotection, and 
the inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The cannabinoid type 2 receptor agonist 
β-caryophyllene is one of the major compounds in S. verticillata essential oils. 
It is a compound with a prominent potential in regenerative medicine, neurology, 
immunology, and other medical fields. The in vivo and the in vitro studies, 
regarding S. verticillata highlighted good antioxidant potential, 
anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal activity. S.verticillata was 
also reported as a potential source of drug candidates for the treatment of 
neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, because of the 
inhibitory activity on the acetylcholinesterase. However, the number of studies 
in this direction is limited.

DOI: 10.3390/ph17070859
PMCID: PMC11280111
PMID: 39065710

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


5. J Ethnopharmacol. 2024 Sep 15;331:118295. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118295. Epub
 2024 May 4.

Phlomis crinita Cav. From Algeria: A source of bioactive compounds possessing 
antioxidant and wound healing activities.

Baali F(1), Boudjelal A(2), Smeriglio A(3), Righi N(4), Djemouai N(5), Deghima 
A(6), Bouafia Z(7), Trombetta D(8).

Author information:
(1)Department of Biology, Faculty of Nature and Life Sciences and Earth 
Sciences, University of Ghardaia, BP 455, Ghardaïa, 47000, Algeria. Electronic 
address: baali.faiza@univ-ghardaia.dz.
(2)Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University 
Mohamed Boudiaf of M'Sila, 28000, Algeria; Laboratory of Biology: Applications 
in Health and Environment, University Mohamed Boudiaf of M'Sila, 28000, Algeria. 
Electronic address: amel.boudjelal@univ-msila.dz.
(3)Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental 
Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d'Alcontres 31, 98166, 
Messina, Italy. Electronic address: asmeriglio@unime.it.
(4)Laboratory of Applied Biochemistry, Faculty of Nature and Life Sciences, 
University of Ferhat Abbas Setif 1, 19000, Algeria. Electronic address: 
nadjat.righi@univ-setif.dz.
(5)Department of Biology, Faculty of Nature and Life Sciences and Earth 
Sciences, University of Ghardaia, BP 455, Ghardaïa, 47000, Algeria; Microbial 
Systems Biology Laboratory (LBSM), Higher Normal School of Kouba, B.P. 92, 
16050, Kouba, Algiers, Algeria. Electronic address: 
djemouai.nadjette@univ-ghardaia.dz.
(6)Department of Nature and Life Sciences, Faculty of Exact Nature and Life 
Sciences, University of Biskra, 7000, Algeria. Electronic address: 
damir112003@gmail.com.
(7)Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University 
Mohamed Boudiaf of M'Sila, 28000, Algeria; Laboratory of Biology: Applications 
in Health and Environment, University Mohamed Boudiaf of M'Sila, 28000, Algeria. 
Electronic address: zineb.bouafia@univ-msila.dz.
(8)Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental 
Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d'Alcontres 31, 98166, 
Messina, Italy. Electronic address: dtrombetta@unime.it.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Phlomis crinita Cav. (Lamiaceae), locally known 
as "El Khayata" or "Kayat El Adjarah", is traditionally used in Algeria for its 
wound-healing properties.
AIM OF THE STUDY: Investigate, for the first time, the phytochemical profile, 
safety, antioxidant and wound-healing activities of the flowering tops 
methanolic extract of P. crinita (PCME) collected from Bouira Province in the 
North of Algeria.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Preliminary phytochemical assays were carried out on PCME 
to quantify the main classes of bioactive compounds, such as total phenols, 
flavonoids, and tannins. An in-depth LC-DAD-ESI-MS analysis was carried out to 
elucidate the phytochemical profile of this plant species. Antioxidant activity 
was investigated by several colorimetric and fluorimetric assays (DPPH, TEAC, 
FRAP, ORAC, β-carotene bleaching and ferrozine assay). The acute oral toxicity 
of PCME (2000 mg/kg b.w.) was tested in vivo on Swiss albino mice, whereas the 
acute dermal toxicity and wound-healing properties of the PCME ointment (1-5% 
PCMO) were tested in vivo on Wistar albino rats. Biochemical and histological 
analyses were carried out on biological samples.
RESULTS: The phytochemical screening highlighted a high content of phenolic 
compounds (175.49 ± 0.8 mg of gallic acid equivalents/g of dry extract), mainly 
flavonoids (82.28 ± 0.44 mg of quercetin equivalents/g of dry extract). 
Fifty-seven compounds were identified by LC-DAD-ESI-MS analysis, belonging 
mainly to the class of flavones (32.27%), with luteolin 7-(6″-acetylglucoside) 
as the most abundant compound and phenolic acids (32.54%), with salvianolic acid 
C as the most abundant compound. A conspicuous presence of phenylethanoids 
(15.26%) was also found, of which the major constituent is forsythoside B. PCME 
showed a strong antioxidant activity with half-inhibitory activity (IC50) 
ranging from 1.88 to 37.88 μg/mL and a moderate iron chelating activity (IC50 
327.44 μg/mL). PCME appears to be safe with Lethal Dose 50 (LD50) ≥ 2000 mg/kg 
b.w. No mortality or toxicity signs, including any statistically significant 
changes in body weight gain and relative organs' weight with respect to the 
control group, were recorded. A significant (p < 0.001) wound contraction was 
observed in the 5% PCMO-treated group with respect to the untreated and 
petroleum jelly groups between 8 and 20 days, whereas no statistically 
significant results were observed at the two lower doses (1 and 2% PCMO). In 
addition, the 5% PCMO-treated group showed a statistically significant 
(p < 0.05) wound healing activity with respect to the reference drug-treated 
group, showing, at the end of the study, the highest wound contraction 
percentage (88.00 ± 0.16%).
CONCLUSION: PCME was safe and showed strong antioxidant and wound-healing 
properties, suggesting new interesting pharmaceutical applications for P. 
crinita based on its traditional use.

Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118295
PMID: 38710460 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

Conflict of interest statement: Declaration of competing interest The authors 
declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal 
relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this 
paper.