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. Food Chem. 2019 Jan 15;271:393-400. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.07.132. Epub 2018 Jul 19. Effects of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and colonic fermentation on a rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L) extract rich in rosmarinic acid. Gonçalves GA(1), Corrêa RCG(2), Barros L(3), Dias MI(3), Calhelha RC(3), Correa VG(1), Bracht A(1), Peralta RM(4), Ferreira ICFR(5). Author information: (1)Department of Biochemistry, State University of Maringá, Paraná, Brazil; Graduate Program in Food Science, State University of Maringá, Paraná, Brazil. (2)Department of Biochemistry, State University of Maringá, Paraná, Brazil; Graduate Program in Food Science, State University of Maringá, Paraná, Brazil; Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal. (3)Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal. (4)Department of Biochemistry, State University of Maringá, Paraná, Brazil; Graduate Program in Food Science, State University of Maringá, Paraná, Brazil. Electronic address: rmperalta@uem.br. (5)Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal. Electronic address: iferreira@ipb.pt. The potential phytochemical losses occurring throughout the sequential steps of in-vitro gastrointestinal digestion and colonic fermentation of a rosemary aqueous extract were investigated. Crude (CE), digested (DE) and fermented (FE) extracts were characterized in terms of their phenolic profile and biological activities. Rosmarinic acid was the phytochemical that underwent the most significate transformation during digestion and fermentation, which amounted to 60% compared to the 26% degradation of the total phenolics. Overall, the simulated digestion step decreased the antioxidant activity estimated by DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, ORAC and TBARS assays. Both CE and DE did not present antiproliferative potential, however, FE exhibited a pronounced cytotoxic activity (GI50 = 116 µg/mL) against HeLa cells. CE and DE showed to be moderate inhibitors of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), S. aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, whilst the FE acted as a moderate inhibitor of MRSA and MSSA. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.07.132 PMID: 30236693 [Indexed for MEDLINE]