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. Am J Physiol. 1988 Oct;255(4 Pt 1):C559-65. doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.1988.255.4.C559. Platelet activating factor induces dopamine release in PC-12 cell line. Bussolino F(1), Tessari F, Turrini F, Braquet P, Camussi G, Prosdocimi M, Bosia A. Author information: (1)Dipartimento di Genetica, Biologia e Chimica Medica, Università di Torino, Italy. The ability of platelet activating factor (PAF) to stimulate dopamine release and modify calcium homeostasis in PC-12 cell line was studied. PAF-induced dopamine release is related to its molecular form, with only the R-form steric configuration [(R)PAF], but not its S-form or its 2-lyso derivative, effective at being active. In addition, PAF acts at very low concentrations in a dose-dependent manner (0.1-30 nM). Preincubation with PAF receptor antagonists (CV-3988 and BN52021) as well as the specific desensitization of PC-12 cells to (R)PAF abolish the (R)PAF-induced dopamine release. Several lines of evidence suggest that dopamine release is dependent on a (R)PAF-induced calcium influx and efflux modulation. Dopamine release by PC-12 cells challenged with (R)PAF is associated with a rapid 45Ca influx and efflux and a rise in cytoplasmic calcium concentrations ([Ca2+]i) evaluated by using the calcium indicators fura-2 and quin2. At 30 nM (R)PAF, the absence of extracellular calcium inhibits the dopamine release but not the rise of [Ca2+]i from the internal stores, suggesting the importance of calcium influx in (R)PAF-induced dopamine release. PAF, which has been reported to be synthesized by stimulated neuronal cells (J. Biol. Chem. 261: 16502-16508, 1986) may thus have a physiological modulatory role on cells with neurosecretory properties. DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.1988.255.4.C559 PMID: 3177629 [Indexed for MEDLINE]