Psychoactive Plant Database - Neuroactive Phytochemical Collection

1. Lett Appl Microbiol. 2024 Aug 5;77(8):ovae077. doi: 10.1093/lambio/ovae077.

Isolation and identification of antimicrobial multicyclic terpenoids from the 
medicinal plant Salvia officinalis and development of a formulation against 
clinical Staphylococcus aureus strains.

Purgato GA(1), Píccolo MS(1), Moreira MAS(2), Pizziolo VR(1), Diaz-Muñoz G(3), 
Rossi CC(1), Diaz MAN(1).

Author information:
(1)Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal de 
Viçosa, MG 36570-900, Brazil.
(2)Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, MG 
36570-000, Brazil.
(3)Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, MG 31270-901, 
Brazil.

Staphylococcus aureus, particularly multi-drug resistant strains, presents 
significant challenges in dairy farming due to its role in causing bovine 
mastitis, which leads to substantial economic losses and limited treatment 
options. Seeking alternative therapies, we investigated the potential of a 
topical formulation derived from the medicinal herb Salvia officinalis to combat 
S. aureus growth and biofilms associated with bovine mastitis. Through 
systematic extraction in different solvents and fractionation by column 
chromatography, we isolated and identified three key multicyclic 
terpenoids-ferruginol, sugiol, and sclareol-exhibiting significant antimicrobial 
activity. The formulation effectively inhibited biofilm formation, with minimum 
inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 0.09 to 0.74 mg ml-1 against 
clinical S. aureus strains, comparable to or lower than those of the pure 
compounds. Moreover, it displayed robust anti-adhesive properties, reducing 
biofilm formation by 20%-79% at subinhibitory concentrations. Furthermore, the 
formulation successfully disrupted pre-existing biofilms, achieving reductions 
ranging from 30% to 82%. Cytotoxicity assays confirmed the safety of the 
formulation on mammary epithelial cells, with cell viability maintained at 100% 
at MIC. Our findings underscore the therapeutic potential of Sa. 
officinalis-derived compounds in managing bovine mastitis caused by S. aureus, 
emphasizing their antimicrobial efficacy and safety profile.

© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Applied 
Microbiology International.

DOI: 10.1093/lambio/ovae077
PMID: 39127610 [Indexed for MEDLINE]


2. J Ethnopharmacol. 2024 May 23;326:117965. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.117965. Epub
 2024 Feb 28.

Effective substances and molecular mechanisms guided by network pharmacology: An 
example study of Scrophulariae Radix treatment of hyperthyroidism and thyroid 
hormone-induced liver and kidney injuries.

Sheng MY(1), Peng DW(2), Peng HM(3), Zhang YL(4), Xiao L(5), Zhang MR(6), Wang 
SY(7), Zhao CP(8), Zhu SY(9), Lu JK(10), Lin L(11), Huang R(12), Nie J(13), Fang 
JB(14).

Author information:
(1)School of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 
430065, China; School of Pharmacy, Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal 
Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University 
of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China; Hubei Institute for Drug 
Control, Wuhan, 430064, China; Department of Anatomy, Tongji Medical College, 
Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China. Electronic 
address: 717069153@qq.com.
(2)Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tongji Hospital, 
Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 
430030, China. Electronic address: pengdewei_1995@163.com.
(3)Department of Anatomy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science 
and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China. Electronic address: 
hmpeng2003@hust.edu.cn.
(4)School of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 
430065, China. Electronic address: 2396734884@qq.com.
(5)Hubei Institute for Drug Control, Wuhan, 430064, China. Electronic address: 
469851167@qq.com.
(6)School of Pharmacy, Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and 
Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and 
Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China. Electronic address: 2651840687@qq.com.
(7)School of Pharmacy, Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and 
Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and 
Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China. Electronic address: 1226773103@qq.com.
(8)School of Pharmacy, Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and 
Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and 
Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China. Electronic address: 1484070596@qq.com.
(9)School of Pharmacy, Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and 
Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and 
Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China. Electronic address: 1351857479@qq.com.
(10)School of Pharmacy, Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and 
Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and 
Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China. Electronic address: 2351862839@qq.com.
(11)Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tongji Hospital, 
Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 
430030, China. Electronic address: linli@tjh.tjmu.edu.cn.
(12)Department of Ophthalmology, Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional 
Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430061, Hubei, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Theory 
and Application Research of Liver and Kidney in Traditional Chinese Medicine, 
China. Electronic address: 1317951740@qq.com.
(13)School of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 
430065, China; Hubei Institute for Drug Control, Wuhan, 430064, China. 
Electronic address: niejingwh@sina.com.
(14)School of Pharmacy, Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and 
Resource Evaluation, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and 
Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China. Electronic address: fangjb@hust.edu.cn.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Scrophulariae Radix (Xuanshen [XS]) has been 
used for several years to treat hyperthyroidism. However, its effective 
substances and pharmacological mechanisms in the treatment of hyperthyroidism 
and thyroid hormone-induced liver and kidney injuries have not yet been 
elucidated.
AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to explore the pharmacological material basis 
and potential mechanism of XS therapy for hyperthyroidism and thyroid 
hormone-induced liver and kidney injuries based on network pharmacology 
prediction and experimental validation.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Based on 31 in vivo XS compounds identified using 
ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem quadruple exactive orbitrap 
high-resolution accurate-mass spectrometry (UPLC-QE-HRMS), a network 
pharmacology approach was used for mechanism prediction. Systematic networks 
were constructed to identify the potential molecular targets, biological 
processes (BP), and signaling pathways. A component-target-pathway network was 
established. Mice were administered levothyroxine sodium through gavage for 30 d 
and then treated with different doses of XS extract with or without 
propylthiouracil (PTU) for 30 d. Blood, liver, and kidney samples were analyzed 
using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and western blotting.
RESULTS: A total of 31 prototypes, 60 Phase I metabolites, and 23 Phase II 
metabolites were tentatively identified in the plasma of rats following the oral 
administration of XS extract. Ninety-six potential common targets between the 31 
in vivo compounds and the diseases were identified. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes 
and Genomes (KEGG) analysis revealed that Bcl-2, BAD, JNK, p38, and ERK1/2 were 
the top targets. XS extract with or without PTU had the following effects: 
inhibition of T3/T4/fT3/fT4 caused by levothyroxine; increase of TSH levels in 
serum; restoration of thyroid structure; improvement of liver and kidney 
structure and function by elevating the activities of anti-oxidant enzymes 
catalase (CAT),superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px); 
activation anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2; inhibition the apoptotic protein 
p-BAD; downregulation inflammation-related proteins p-ERK1/2, p-JNK, and p-p38; 
and inhibition of the aggregation of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, 
and IL-6, as well as immune cells in the liver.
CONCLUSION: XS can be used to treat hyperthyroidism and liver and kidney 
injuries caused by thyroid hormones through its anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, 
and anti-apoptotic properties. In addition, serum pharmacochemical analysis 
revealed that five active compounds, namely 4-methylcatechol, sugiol, eugenol, 
acetovanillone, and oleic acid, have diverse metabolic pathways in vivo and 
exhibit potential as effective therapeutic agents.

Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.117965
PMID: 38423410 [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.


3. Pharmacol Res. 2024 Jan;199:107044. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.107044. Epub 2023
 Dec 22.

Corrigendum to "Sugiol, a diterpenoid: Therapeutic actions and molecular 
pathways involved" Pharmacol. Res. 163 (2021) 105313.

Bajpai VK(1), Sonwal S(2), Hwang SK(2), Shukla S(3), Khan I(4), Dey DK(5), Chen 
L(6), Simal-Gandara J(7), Xiao J(8), Huh YS(9), Han YK(10).

Author information:
(1)Department of Energy and Materials Engineering, Dongguk University, 30 
Pildong-ro 1-gil, Seoul 04620, South Korea.
(2)Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, NanoBio High-Tech 
Materials Research Center, Inha University, Incheon 22212, South Korea.
(3)Department of Food Science and Technology, National Institute of Food 
Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM), Sonipat, Haryana, 131028, 
India.
(4)The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN, 55912, USA.
(5)Department of Biotechnology, Daegu University, Jillyang, Naeri-ri, Gyeongsan, 
Gyeongbuk, 38453, South Korea.
(6)College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 
Fujian 350002, China. Electronic address: chenlei841114@hotmail.com.
(7)Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food 
Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Vigo - Ourense 
Campus, E-32004 Ourense, Spain.
(8)Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food 
Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Vigo - Ourense 
Campus, E-32004 Ourense, Spain. Electronic address: jianboxiao@yahoo.com.
(9)Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, NanoBio High-Tech 
Materials Research Center, Inha University, Incheon 22212, South Korea. 
Electronic address: yunsuk.huh@inha.ac.kr.
(10)Department of Energy and Materials Engineering, Dongguk University, 30 
Pildong-ro 1-gil, Seoul 04620, South Korea. Electronic address: 
ykenergy@dongguk.edu.

Erratum for
    Pharmacol Res. 2021 Jan;163:105313. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.105313.

DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.107044
PMID: 38135620


4. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2023 Oct 27;16(11):1528. doi: 10.3390/ph16111528.

Sugiol Masters Apoptotic Precision to Halt Gastric Cancer Cell Proliferation.

Bakhsh T(1), Abuzahrah SS(1), Qahl SH(1), Akela MA(2), Rather IA(3).

Author information:
(1)Department of Biological Science, College of Science, University of Jeddah, 
Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.
(2)Department of Biology, College of Sciences and Humanities in Al-Kharj, Prince 
Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia.
(3)Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz 
University, Jedddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.

Sugiol, a natural compound with anticancer properties, has shown promise in 
various cancer types, but its potential in preventing gastric cancer remains 
uncertain. In this study, we aimed to examine the inhibitory effect of sugiol on 
human gastric cancer cell proliferation. Our findings demonstrate that sugiol 
effectively suppresses the proliferation of SNU-5 human gastric cancer cells, 
leading to apoptotic cell death. We assessed the chemo-preventive potential of 
sugiol via an MTT assay and confirmed the induction of oxidative stress using 
the H2DCFDA fluorescent dye. Treatment with sugiol at concentrations higher than 
25 µM for 24 h resulted in an increase in intracellular levels of reactive 
oxygen species (ROS). This elevation of ROS levels inhibited cell-cycle 
progression and induced cell-cycle arrest at the G1 phase. Furthermore, our 
study revealed that sugiol reduces the viability and proliferation of SNU-5 
cells in a dose-dependent manner. Importantly, ADME and toxicity analyses 
revealed that sugiol was effective and nontoxic at low doses. In parallel, we 
utilized the Swiss target prediction tool to identify potential targets for 
sugiol. Enzymes and nuclear receptors were identified as major targets. To gain 
insights into the molecular interactions, we performed structure-based molecular 
docking studies, focusing on the interaction between sugiol and STAT3. The 
docking results revealed strong binding interactions within the active site 
pocket of STAT3, with a binding affinity of -12.169 kcal/mole. Sugiol's -OH 
group, carbonyl group, and phenyl ring demonstrated hydrogen-bonding 
interactions with specific residues of the target protein, along with Vander 
Waals and hydrophobic interactions. These data suggest that sugiol has the 
potential to inhibit the phosphorylation of STAT3, which is known to play a 
crucial role in promoting the growth and survival of cancer cells. Targeting the 
dysregulated STAT3 signaling pathway holds promise as a therapeutic strategy for 
various human tumors. In combination with interventions that regulate cell cycle 
progression and mitigate the DNA damage response, the efficacy of these 
therapeutic approaches can be further enhanced. The findings from our study 
highlight the antiproliferative and apoptotic potential of sugiol against human 
gastric cancer cells (SNU-5). Moreover, the result underpins that sugiol's 
interactions with STAT3 may contribute to its inhibitory effects on cancer cell 
growth and proliferation. Further research is warranted to explore the full 
potential of sugiol as a therapeutic agent and its potential application in 
treating gastric cancer and other malignancies characterized by dysregulated 
STAT3 activity.

DOI: 10.3390/ph16111528
PMCID: PMC10675088
PMID: 38004394

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


5. Nat Prod Res. 2024 Nov;38(22):3902-3908. doi: 10.1080/14786419.2023.2266169. 
Epub 2023 Oct 11.

Gibberellic acid 3 enhanced the anticancer activity of Abeliophyllum distichum 
adventitious roots by activating the diterpenoid biosynthesis pathway.

Bang SG(1), Joeng WT(2), Hyun TK(1).

Author information:
(1)Department of Industrial Plant Science and Technology, College of 
Agriculture, Life and Environment Science, Chungbuk National University, 
Cheongju, Republic of Korea.
(2)Residual Agrochemical Assessment Division, National Institute of Agricultural 
Sciences, Wanju, Republic of Korea.

The industrial value of various plants has been improved through the of plant 
cell culture systems with elicitation. In this study, the adventitious root of 
Abeliophyllum distichum (AdAR) was treated with gibberellic acid 3 (GA3) to 
improve its anticancer property. The hexane fraction of the GA3-treated A. 
distichum adventitious root exhibited a stronger cytotoxic activity against A549 
cells than the hexane fraction of AdAR. Through GC/MS and principal component 
analysis, we identified ferruginol and sugiol as anticancer compounds, which 
were induced by GA3 treatment in AdAR. Gene expression analysis combined with 
functional characterisation suggests that the GA3 treatment increased the 
transcription of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthases and copalyl diphosphate 
synthase, which led to the accumulation of diterpenoids, including ferruginol 
and sugiol. Overall, these findings can contribute to the advancement of 
metabolic engineering for enhancing the biosynthesis of active diterpenoids, and 
facilitate the large-scale production of bioactive compounds sourced from A. 
distichum.

DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2023.2266169
PMID: 37820039 [Indexed for MEDLINE]