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. Arch Pharm Res. 2017 Apr;40(4):500-508. doi: 10.1007/s12272-017-0902-5. Epub 2017 Feb 22. Kudsuphilactone B, a nortriterpenoid isolated from Schisandra chinensis fruit, induces caspase-dependent apoptosis in human ovarian cancer A2780 cells. Jeong M(1), Kim HM(2), Kim HJ(3), Choi JH(4), Jang DS(5)(6). Author information: (1)Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea. (2)Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea. (3)Department of Oriental Pharmaceutical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea. (4)Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea. jchoi@khu.ac.kr. (5)Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea. dsjang@khu.ac.kr. (6)Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea. dsjang@khu.ac.kr. A phytochemical study on the fruits of Schisandra chinensis led to the isolation and characterization of nineteen compounds. The structures of the isolates were determined to be schizandrin, deoxyschizandrin, angeloylgomisin H, gomisin A, gomisin J, (-)-gomisin L1, (-)-gomisin L2, wuweizisu C, gomisin N, meso-dihydroguaiaretic acid, kadsuphilactone B, α-ylangenol, α-ylangenyl acetate, β-chamigrenal, β-chamigrenic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, protocatechuic acid, p-methylcarvacrol, and indole-3-acetic acid. Of these, some lignans and a nortriterpene showed cytotoxic activity in human ovarian and endometrial cancer cells. In particular, a nortriterpenoid kadsuphilactone B exhibited significant cytotoxic activity with IC50 values below 25 μM in both A2780 and Ishikawa cells. Kadsuphilactone B induced apoptotic cell death and stimulated the activation of caspase-3, -8, and -9 and the cleavages of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. Caspase inhibitors attenuated the pro-apoptotic activity of kudsuphilactone B. In addition, kadsuphilactone B altered the expression levels of B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family proteins. Moreover, activation of MAPKs was modulated by kadsuphilactone B in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, these results show that kadsuphilactone B induces caspase-dependent apoptosis in human cancer cells via the regulation of Bcl-2 family protein and MAPK signaling. DOI: 10.1007/s12272-017-0902-5 PMID: 28229391 [Indexed for MEDLINE] 2. Planta Med. 2014 Jun;80(8-9):655-61. doi: 10.1055/s-0034-1368544. Epub 2014 May 28. Inhibitory effects of β-chamigrenal, isolated from the fruits of Schisandra chinensis, on lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 production in RAW 264.7 macrophages [corrected]. Shin JS(1), Ryu S(1), Cho YW(2), Kim HJ(3), Jang DS(4), Lee KT(1). Author information: (1)Department of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. (2)Department of Biomedical Science, College of Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. (3)Department of Oriental Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. (4)Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Erratum in Planta Med. 2014 Jun;80(8-9):E1. Much is known about the bioactive properties of lignans from the fruits of Schisandra chinensis. However, very little work has been done to determine the properties of sesquiterpenes in the fruits of S. chinensis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory potential of new sesquiterpenes (β-chamigrenal, β-chamigrenic acid, α-ylangenol, and α-ylangenyl acetate) isolated from the fruits of S. chinensis and to explore their effect on macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide. Of these four sesquiterpenes, β-chamigrenal most significantly suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 production in RAW 264.7 macrophages (47.21 ± 4.54 % and 51.61 ± 3.95 % at 50 µM, respectively). Molecularly, the inhibitory activity of β-chamigrenal on nitric oxide production was mediated by suppressing inducible nitric oxide synthase activity but not its expression. In the prostaglandin E2 synthesis pathway, β-chamigrenal prevented the upregulation of inducible microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 expression after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide. Conversely, β-chamigrenal had no effect on the expression and enzyme activity of cyclooxygenase-2. In addition, the expression of early growth response factor-1, a key transcription factor of microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 expression, was inhibited by β-chamigrenal. These results may suggest a possible anti-inflammatory activity of β-chamigrenal which has to be proven in in vivo experiments. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York. DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1368544 PMID: 24871206 [Indexed for MEDLINE]