Psychoactive Plant Database - Neuroactive Phytochemical Collection

1. J Agric Food Chem. 2024 Nov 6. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c07140. Online ahead of 
print.

Metabolomic Analysis Reveals the Linkage between Sleep-Enhancing Effects and 
Metabolite Biomarkers and Pathways of Different Casein Hydrolysates in Chronic 
Unpredictable Mild Stressed Mice.

Qian J(1)(2), Zheng L(1), Hong Z(1), Zhao M(1)(3)(2).

Author information:
(1)School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, 
Guangzhou 510640, China.
(2)Guangdong Food Green Processing and Nutrition Regulation Technologies 
Research Center, Guangzhou 510650, China.
(3)International Research Center for Food Nutrition and Safety, Jiangsu 
University, Zhenjiang 212013, China.

Casein hydrolysates have been proven to exert varying sleep-enhancing and 
anxiolytic effects due to their distinct release of potential peptides. However, 
their underlying sleep-enhancing mechanisms at the metabolic level remain 
unclear. This study aims to investigate the potential sleep-enhancing mechanism 
of casein hydrolysates through an integrated approach of untargeted and targeted 
metabolomics in CUMS-induced anxiety mice for the first time. The results showed 
seven potential biomarkers were identified and screened using orthogonal partial 
least-squares discriminant analysis, random forest model, and pathway analysis, 
including ornithine, l-proline, l-prolinamide, inhibitory neurotransmitters 
gamma-aminobutyric acid, 5-HIAA, fumaric acid, and 4-oxoglutaramate. Moreover, 
casein hydrolysates exerted sleep-enhancing effects through multiple metabolic 
pathways, mainly including the GABAergic system, tryptophan metabolism, and cAMP 
response signaling pathway, which was validated by targeted metabolomics and 
vital protein expressions. It was interesting that casein hydrolysates with 
diverse representative peptide compositions exhibited varying activity, which 
could be attributed to distinct alterations in metabolites via different 
pathways.

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c07140
PMID: 39501924


2. Clin Rheumatol. 2024 Nov 1. doi: 10.1007/s10067-024-07201-1. Online ahead of 
print.

Altered serum metabolome is associated with disease activity and immune 
responses in rheumatoid arthritis.

Cai X(#)(1), Jin J(#)(2)(3), Ye H(2)(3), Xiang X(2)(3), Luo L(4), Li J(5)(6).

Author information:
(1)Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, First Affiliated Hospital of 
Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, 830011, Xinjiang, China.
(2)Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Peking University People's 
Hospital, Beijing, 100044, China.
(3)Beijing Key Laboratory for Rheumatism Mechanism and Immune Diagnosis 
(BZ0135), Beijing, 100044, China.
(4)Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, First Affiliated Hospital of 
Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, 830011, Xinjiang, China. luoli.6@163.com.
(5)Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Peking University People's 
Hospital, Beijing, 100044, China. muzijing1026@163.com.
(6)Beijing Key Laboratory for Rheumatism Mechanism and Immune Diagnosis 
(BZ0135), Beijing, 100044, China. muzijing1026@163.com.
(#)Contributed equally

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is widespread globally, with the emergence of 
metabolites derived from both the host and microbes playing a pivotal role in 
its pathogenesis. This study aims to elucidate the relationships between serum 
metabolites and the immunological and clinical features of RA. Serum samples 
were collected from 35 RA patients and 37 healthy controls (HC). Metabolite 
profiling was performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). 
Principal component analysis revealed a significant distinction between the RA 
and HC cohorts. Employing univariate statistical analysis, we identified 36 
differential metabolites. Among these, 9 metabolites, including galactose and 
glucose, were found to be enriched, while the remaining metabolites, such as 
citric acid, fumaric acid, and inosine, were depleted in RA. These diverse 
metabolites encompassed various metabolic processes, including the biosynthesis 
of fatty acids, amino acids, and glucose. The enrichment of glucose and 
galactose in RA exhibited a substantial correlation with elevated IgG levels, as 
determined through correlation analysis. Conversely, the depletion of citric 
acid was correlated with elevated levels of C3 and CRP. Methionine, which also 
declined in RA patients, displayed a negative correlation with ESR. Furthermore, 
galactose and glucose exhibited significant positive correlations with naïve B 
cells, while the decreased eicosanoic acid level in RA was significantly 
associated with an increase in natural killer cells. Our findings suggest that 
the altered serum metabolite profile in RA is closely linked to disease severity 
and the dysregulated immune responses observed in RA patients. Key Points • 
Identified nine metabolites with upregulated expression and twenty-seven 
metabolites with downregulated expression. • Established a correlation between 
alterations in serum metabolite levels and inflammatory markers in RA patients. 
• Discovered a significant association between changes in serum metabolites and 
immune cell profiles in RA patients.

© 2024. The Author(s).

DOI: 10.1007/s10067-024-07201-1
PMID: 39485556


3. Food Chem. 2024 Oct 24;464(Pt 2):141738. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.141738. 
Online ahead of print.

Nanoparticles based on whey and soy proteins enhance the antioxidant activity of 
phenolic compound extract from Cantaloupe melon pulp flour (Cucumis melo L.).

da Silva TEB(1), de Oliveira YP(2), de Carvalho LBA(2), Dos Santos JAB(3), Dos 
Santos Lima M(4), Fernandes R(5), de Assis CF(6), Passos TS(7).

Author information:
(1)Postgraduate Program in Nutrition, Center of Health Sciences, Federal 
University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN 59078-970, Brazil.
(2)Undergraduate Course in Nutrition, Center of Health Sciences, Federal 
University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN 59078-970, Brazil.
(3)Postgraduate Program in Nutrition, Center of Health Sciences, Federal 
University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN 59078-970, Brazil; Department of 
Nutrition, Center of Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, 
Natal, RN 59078-970, Brazil.
(4)Department of Food Technology, Federal Institute of Sertão Pernambucano, 
Petrolina, PE 56316-686, Brazil.
(5)Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN 
59078-970, Brazil.
(6)Postgraduate Program in Nutrition, Center of Health Sciences, Federal 
University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN 59078-970, Brazil; Department of 
Pharmacy, Center of Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, 
Natal, RN 59084-100, Brazil.
(7)Postgraduate Program in Nutrition, Center of Health Sciences, Federal 
University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN 59078-970, Brazil; Department of 
Nutrition, Center of Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, 
Natal, RN 59078-970, Brazil. Electronic address: thais.passos@ufrn.br.

The phenolic compounds (PC) present in the pulp flour of Cantaloupe melon 
(Cucumis melo L.) were encapsulated in whey protein isolate (EPWI), whey protein 
concentrate (EPWC), and soy protein isolate (EPSP) by nanoprecipitation to 
evaluate the effect on the antioxidant potential in vitro. The crude extract was 
evaluated for the content and profile of PC, presenting 750 ± 60.73 mg EAG/100 g 
and ten different types with emphasis on procyanidin B1 (213.9 ± 33.23 mg/kg) 
and fumaric acid (181.6 ± 30.55 mg/kg). The characterization indicated the 
incorporation efficiency of PC in the range of 74.10 ± 0.28-90.60 ± 6.52 %, 
formation of spherical particles with smooth surfaces, average diameters between 
74.90 ± 10.78-96.57 ± 10.17 nm, amorphous structure, and chemical interactions 
between the materials, justifying the potentiation of the antioxidant activity 
of the crude extract by up to six times (p < 0.05). Therefore, nanoencapsulation 
using protein materials and the nanoprecipitation technique is a promising 
strategy to promote the encapsulation of PC from Cantaloupe melon.

Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.141738
PMID: 39476578

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.


4. BMC Plant Biol. 2024 Oct 29;24(1):1022. doi: 10.1186/s12870-024-05719-9.

The tale of two Ions Na(+) and Cl(-): unraveling onion plant responses to 
varying salt treatments.

Romo-Pérez ML(1), Weinert CH(2), Egert B(2), Kulling SE(2), Zörb C(3).

Author information:
(1)University of Hohenheim, Institute of Crop Science, Quality of Plant Products 
340e, Schloss Westflügel, Stuttgart, 70599, Germany. 
m.romoperez@uni-hohenheim.de.
(2)Department of Safety and Quality of Fruit and Vegetables, Max 
Rubner-Institut, Haid-und-Neu-Straße 9, Karlsruhe, 76131, Germany.
(3)University of Hohenheim, Institute of Crop Science, Quality of Plant Products 
340e, Schloss Westflügel, Stuttgart, 70599, Germany. 
Christian.zoerb@uni-hohenheim.de.

BACKGROUND: Exploring the adaptive responses of onions (Allium cepa L.) to 
salinity reveals a critical challenge for this salt-sensitive crop. While 
previous studies have concentrated on the effects of sodium (Na+), this research 
highlights the substantial yet less-explored impact of chloride (Cl-) 
accumulation. Two onion varieties were subjected to treatments with different 
sodium and chloride containing salts to observe early metabolic responses 
without causing toxicity.
RESULTS: The initial effects of salinity on onions showed increased 
concentrations of both ions, with Cl- having a more pronounced impact on 
metabolic profiles than Na+. Onions initially adapt to salinity by first 
altering their organic acid concentrations, which are critical for essential 
functions such as energy production and stress response. The landrace 
Birnförmige exhibited more effective regulation of its Na+/K+ balance and a 
milder response to Cl- compared to the hybrid Hytech. Metabolic alterations were 
analyzed using advanced techniques, revealing specific responses in leaves and 
bulbs to Cl- accumulation, with significant changes observed in organic acids 
involved in the TCA cycle, such as fumaric acid, and succinic acid, in both 
varieties. Additionally, there was a variety-specific increase in ethanolamine 
in Birnförmige and lysine in Hytech in response to Cl- accumulation.
CONCLUSION: This comprehensive study offers new insights into onion ion 
regulation and stress adaptation during the initial stages of salinity exposure, 
emphasizing the importance of considering both Na+ and Cl- when assessing plant 
responses to salinity.

© 2024. The Author(s).

DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05719-9
PMCID: PMC11520526
PMID: 39468439 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no competing interests.


5. Dalton Trans. 2024 Oct 28. doi: 10.1039/d4dt01945h. Online ahead of print.

Close-packing effect of water clusters within metal-organic framework pores on 
proton conductivity: a dielectric relaxation phenomenon in loose space and 
colossal dielectric permittivity.

Chen B(1), Xie F(1), Liang X(1), Wan C(2), Zhang F(3), Feng L(2), Lai Q(1), Wang 
Z(1), Wen C(2).

Author information:
(1)College of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Xi'an Polytechnic 
University, Xi'an 710048, PR China. anxiny@163.com.
(2)Beijing Spacecrafts Manufacturing Factory, Beijing 100094, PR China. 
13552907280@163.com.
(3)Key Laboratory of Photochemical Biomaterials and Energy Storage Materials, 
Heilongjiang Province and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin 
Normal University, Harbin 150025, PR China.

Proton-conducting metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted tremendous 
attention for their promising application in proton-exchange membrane fuel 
cells. Water clusters play an extremely important role in the proton-conduction 
process and affect the proton conductivity of host materials. To date, the 
close-packing effect of water clusters within pores on proton conductivity due 
to the amorphous structure of commercial proton-exchange membranes is unclear. 
Herein, we prepared two crystalline MOFs containing different water clusters, 
namely, [Sm2(fum)3(H2O)4]·3H2O (Sm-fum-7H2O) and [Er2(fum)3(H2O)4]·8H2O 
(Er-fum-12H2O) (H2fum = fumaric acid), and regulated their proton conductivities 
by changing the water clusters. As expected, Sm-fum-7H2O showed a high proton 
conductivity of 6.89 × 10-4 S cm-1 at 333 K and ∼97% RH because of the close 
packing of the water clusters within the pores triggered by a lanthanide 
contraction effect, outperforming that of Er-fum-12H2O and some previously 
reported MOFs. Additionally, Sm-fum-7H2O and Er-fum-12H2O demonstrated high 
dielectric functions, reaching 2.22 × 103 and 1.42 × 105 at 102.5 Hz, 
respectively, making Er-fum-12H2O a highly dielectric material. More 
importantly, broadband dielectric spectroscopy measurements indicated that there 
was a dielectric relaxation process in Er-fum-12H2O with an activation energy of 
0.59 eV. The present findings provide a better understanding of the crucial role 
of confined water clusters in proton conductivity and the novel phenomenon of 
the coexistence of proton conduction and dielectric relaxation in crystalline 
MOF materials.

DOI: 10.1039/d4dt01945h
PMID: 39466320