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. Life (Basel). 2022 Sep 9;12(9):1407. doi: 10.3390/life12091407. Discovery of Potential SARS-CoV-2 Papain-like Protease Natural Inhibitors Employing a Multi-Phase In Silico Approach. Elkaeed EB(1), Metwaly AM(2)(3), Alesawy MS(4), Saleh AM(4), Alsfouk AA(5), Eissa IH(4). Author information: (1)Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, AlMaarefa University, Riyadh 13713, Saudi Arabia. (2)Pharmacognosy and Medicinal Plants Department, Faculty of Pharmacy (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Cairo 11884, Egypt. (3)Biopharmaceutical Products Research Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), Alexandria 21934, Egypt. (4)Pharmaceutical Medicinal Chemistry & Drug Design Department, Faculty of Pharmacy (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Cairo 11884, Egypt. (5)Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia. As an extension of our research against COVID-19, a multiphase in silico approach was applied in the selection of the three most common inhibitors (Glycyrrhizoflavone (76), Arctigenin (94), and Thiangazole (298)) against papain-like protease, PLpro (PDB ID: 4OW0), among 310 metabolites of natural origin. All compounds of the exam set were reported as antivirals. The structural similarity between the examined compound set and S88, the co-crystallized ligand of PLpro, was examined through structural similarity and fingerprint studies. The two experiments pointed to Brevicollin (28), Cryptopleurine (41), Columbamine (46), Palmatine (47), Glycyrrhizoflavone (76), Licochalcone A (87), Arctigenin (94), Termilignan (98), Anolignan B (99), 4,5-dihydroxy-6″-deoxybromotopsentin (192), Dercitin (193), Tryptanthrin (200), 6-Cyano-5-methoxy-12-methylindolo [2, 3A] carbazole (211), Thiangazole (298), and Phenoxan (300). The binding ability against PLpro was screened through molecular docking, disclosing the favorable binding modes of six metabolites. ADMET studies expected molecules 28, 76, 94, 200, and 298 as the most favorable metabolites. Then, molecules 76, 94, and 298 were chosen through in silico toxicity studies. Finally, DFT studies were carried out on glycyrrhizoflavone (76) and indicated a high level of similarity in the molecular orbital analysis. The obtained data can be used in further in vitro and in vivo studies to examine and confirm the inhibitory effect of the filtered metabolites against PLpro and SARS-CoV-2. DOI: 10.3390/life12091407 PMCID: PMC9505301 PMID: 36143445 Conflict of interest statement: No conflict of interest to be declared. 2. Acta Trop. 2016 Jan;153:46-56. doi: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2015.10.004. Epub 2015 Oct 14. Tuberculosis and nature's pharmacy of putative anti-tuberculosis agents. Chinsembu KC(1). Author information: (1)University of Namibia, Faculty of Science, Department of Biological Sciences, Private Bag 13301, Windhoek, Namibia. Electronic address: kchinsembu@gmail.com. Due to the growing problem of drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains, coupled with the twinning of tuberculosis (TB) to human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), the burden of TB is now difficult to manage. Therefore, new antimycobacterial agents are being sought from natural sources. This review focuses on natural antimycobacterial agents from endophytes and medicinal plants of Africa, Europe, Asia, South America and Canada. In the countries mentioned in this review, numerous plant species display putative anti-TB activity. Several antimycobacterial chemical compounds have also been isolated, including: ellagitannin punicalagin, allicin, anthraquinone glycosides, iridoids, phenylpropanoids, beta-sitosterol, galanthimine, crinine, friedelin, gallic acid, ellagic acids, anthocyanidin, taraxerol, termilignan B, arjunic acid, glucopyranosides, 1-epicatechol, leucopelargonidol, hydroxybenzoic acids, benzophenanthridine alkaloids, neolignans, and decarine. These compounds may provide leads to novel and more efficacious drugs to lessen the global burden of TB and drug-resistant M. tuberculosis strains. If there is a long-term remedy for TB, it must lie in nature's pharmacy of putative antimycobacterial agents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2015.10.004 PMID: 26464047 [Indexed for MEDLINE] 3. Planta Med. 2008 Mar;74(4):411-3. doi: 10.1055/s-2008-1034357. Isolation and biological activities of termilignan B and arjunic acid from Terminalia sericea roots. Eldeen IM(1), Van Heerden FR, Van Staden J. Author information: (1)Research Centre for Plant Growth and Development, School of Biological and Conservation Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Bioassay-guided fractionation of ethyl acetate root extracts of Terminalia sericea yielded a new compound, termilignan B, and the known arjunic acid. Both compounds showed activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria with MIC values ranging between 1.9 and 15.6 microg/mL. The lowest MIC value (1.9 microg/mL) was observed with termilignan B against Bacillus subtilis. Neither of the compounds showed significant activity against Mycobacterium aurum A+. In the cyclooxygenase assays, the compounds showed weak inhibitory activity with IC (50) values of 78 microM (COX-1) and 156 microM (COX-2) (termilignan B) and 36 microM (COX-1) and 253 microM (COX-2) (arjunic acid). No potential mutagenic effects were observed with the two compounds in the Salmonella microsome assay (TA 98). DOI: 10.1055/s-2008-1034357 PMID: 18484533 [Indexed for MEDLINE] 4. J Nat Prod. 1997 Jul;60(7):739-42. doi: 10.1021/np970010m. New anti-HIV-1, antimalarial, and antifungal compounds from Terminalia bellerica. Valsaraj R(1), Pushpangadan P, Smitt UW, Adsersen A, Christensen SB, Sittie A, Nyman U, Nielsen C, Olsen CE. Author information: (1)Division of Ethnopharmacology, Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Kerala, India. A bioactivity-guided fractionation of an extract of Terminalia bellerica fruit rind led to the isolation of two new lignans named termilignan (1) and thannilignan (2), together with 7-hydroxy-3',4'-(methylenedioxy)flavan (3) and anolignan B (4). All four compounds possessed demonstrable anti-HIV-1, antimalarial, and antifungal activity in vitro. DOI: 10.1021/np970010m PMID: 9249982 [Indexed for MEDLINE]