Psychoactive Plant Database - Neuroactive Phytochemical Collection

1. Phytomedicine. 2024 Oct 4;135:156125. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.156125.
Online  ahead of print.

Qiwei Jinggan Ling regulates oxidative stress and lipid metabolism in alcoholic 
liver disease by activating AMPK.

Wan W(1), Wei R(1), Xu B(2), Cao H(1), Zhi Y(1), Guo F(1), Liu H(1), Li B(1), Wu 
J(1), Gao Y(1), Zhang K(3).

Author information:
(1)Pharmacology Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of High Incidence of 
Disease, Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541199, Guangxi, China.
(2)Pharmacology Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of High Incidence of 
Disease, Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541199, Guangxi, China; Department of 
Emergency, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin 
541199, Guangxi, China.
(3)Pharmacology Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of High Incidence of 
Disease, Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541199, Guangxi, China. Electronic 
address: xueshengcailiao@163.com.

BACKGROUND: Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a severe public health concern 
worldwide and there is still a lack of effective treatments. Qiwei Jinggan Ling 
(QJL) has protective effects against various liver injuries, but its 
pharmacological action on ALD has received little attention.
PURPOSE: To investigate the effect and mechanism of QJL on ALD in vivo and in 
vitro.
METHODS: In vivo, an ALD mouse model was established by alcohol combined with a 
high-fat diet (HFD) and treated with QJL. Biochemical indicators, HE staining, 
and Oil Red O staining were employed to assess hepatic oxidative stress, 
steatosis, and alcohol metabolism. RNA sequencing analysis was performed, and 
the results were verified by qRT-PCR and Western blot to elucidate the 
hepatoprotective mechanism of QJL. In vitro, HepG2 cells were co-stimulated with 
NaOA (sodium oleate) and EtOH (ethanol), followed by intervention with Compound 
C (CC, AMPK inhibitor) and QJL-containing serum. Oil Red O, BODIPY 
(boron-dipyrromethene), and ROS (reactive oxygen species) staining were applied 
to validate the efficacy and mechanism of QJL-containing serum. The expression 
of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway-related factors was analyzed 
through qRT-PCR and Western blot for additional corroboration. Moreover, the key 
pharmacodynamic components of QJL were identified by UPLC-MS/MS and molecular 
docking.
RESULTS: In vivo, QJL ameliorated liver structural disorders, steatosis, 
oxidative stress, and impaired alcohol metabolism, as indicated by biochemical 
indicators and histopathological assays. RNA sequencing analysis revealed that 
QJL reversed the expression of genes related to alcohol metabolism, fatty acid 
metabolism, and cholesterol metabolism. The results of qRT-PCR and Western blot 
were in line with those of RNA sequencing. Furthermore, it was discovered that 
QJL significantly upregulated the expression of p-AMPK and downregulated the 
expression of sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 1 
(SREBP-1c). In vitro, biochemical indicators and staining assays demonstrated 
that QJL-containing serum inhibited lipid accumulation and oxidative stress. The 
qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis revealed that QJL-containing serum markedly 
enhanced the expression of p-AMPK and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a (Cpt1a), 
while suppressing the expression of SREBP-1c, fatty acid synthase (Fasn), and 
acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase 1 (ACC-1). However, CC inhibited the above 
pharmacological activities of QJL-containing serum. Additionally, 
(2S)-Liquiritigenin, Glycyrrhetinate, Isovitexin, Taxifolin, and Yohimbine were 
proved to be the key active components of QJL.
CONCLUSION: QJL had the potential to be a therapeutic drug for ALD by activating 
the AMPK pathway, thereby regulating lipid metabolism and inhibiting oxidative 
stress.

Copyright © 2024 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.156125
PMID: 39388920

Conflict of interest statement: Declaration of competing interest All authors 
declared no conflicts of interest in the article.


2. Se Pu. 2024 Oct;42(10):972-978. doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1123.2024.01008.

[Determination and antioxidant analysis of seven flavonoids in bamboo-leaf 
extracts].

[Article in Chinese]

Gu LL(1), Yao X(1), An RM(1), Guo XF(1).

Author information:
(1)International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan, Key Laboratory of National 
Forestry and Grassland Administration/Beijing for Bamboo and Rattan Science and 
Technology, Beijing 100102, China.

The flavonoid contents of different bamboo-leaf extracts and their relationships 
to antioxidant activity were investigated in this study by preparing nine 
samples using two commercially available bamboo-leaf extract products and seven 
bamboo-leaf extracts such as Phyllostachys edulis. A high performance liquid 
chromatography (HPLC) method was established to determine seven flavonoid 
components (orientin, isoorientin, vitexin, isovitexin, tricin, luteolin and 
luteoloside) in these samples, which were separated using a SymmetryShieldTM RP8 
column (250 mm×4.6 mm, 5 μm) under gradient-elution conditions using 
acetonitrile as mobile phase A and 0.5% (v/v) acetic acid aqueous solution as 
mobile phase B. The antioxidant activities of the samples were evaluated using 
the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydroxyl radical-scavenging assays, 
with half inhibitory concentration (IC50) as an indicator and the butylated 
hydroxytoluene (BHT) and tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) antioxidants as positive 
controls. Pearson correlation was then used to analyze the relationship between 
flavonoid content and antioxidant activity. The HPLC method was found to be 
accurate and reliable for determining the flavonoid contents of the bamboo-leaf 
extracts. The seven flavonoids were well separated, and good linear 
relationships were exhibited (correlation coefficients (R2)≥0.9990). 
Furthermore, the contents of the seven flavonoids in the bamboo-leaf extracts 
ranged from 14.97 to 183.94 mg/g, with the highest content of 183.94 mg/g 
recorded for Phyllostachys edulis. The bamboo species exhibited significantly 
different flavonoid contents, with Phyllostachys edulis showing the highest 
orientin, isoorientin, and vitexin levels of 38.45, 101.30, and 9.42 mg/g, 
respectively. Moreover, the bamboo-leaf extracts exhibited IC50 values of 
78.23-179.41 mg/L for DPPH-radical-scavenging, while values of 203.48-1250.81 
mg/L were recorded for hydroxyl radicals. The Phyllostachys edulis leaf extract 
exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity, with the lowest IC50 values of 
78.23 and 203.48 mg/L for DPPH and hydroxyl, respectively; it showed greatly 
significant for the further development and application of Phyllostachys edulis. 
Finally, the relationships between flavonoid content and the DPPH- and 
hydroxyl-radical-scavenging activities (based on the IC50 values) were 
correlated, which revealed that the orientin and isoorientin contents are 
closely related to the antioxidant activities of the bamboo-leaf extracts. 
Consequently, the orientin and isoorientin contents can be used as indicators 
for evaluating the antioxidant activities of bamboo-leaf extracts.

为研究不同竹叶提取物中黄酮成分含量及其与抗氧化活性之间的关系,以2种市售竹叶提取物以及以毛竹等7种竹种的竹叶为材料制备的竹叶提取物共9个样品为研究对象,建立了同时测定竹叶提取物中7种黄酮成分(荭草苷、异荭草苷、牡荆苷、异牡荆苷、苜蓿素、木犀草素和木犀草苷)的高效液相色谱(HPLC)方法,采用SymmetryShieldTM 
RP8色谱柱(250 mm×4.6 mm, 5 μm),以乙腈为流动相A, 
0.5%(v/v)乙酸水溶液为流动相B进行梯度洗脱。采用1,1-二苯基-2-三硝基苯肼(DPPH)和羟基自由基清除试验评价竹叶提取物的抗氧化活性,以半抑制浓度(IC50)为评价指标,以抗氧化剂2,6-二叔丁基对甲酚(BHT)和叔丁基对苯二酚(TBHQ)为阳性对照,并利用Person相关性分析各黄酮成分含量与抗氧化的关系。结果表明:建立的HPLC测定方法准确可靠,适用于竹叶提取物中黄酮含量的测定。竹叶提取物中7种黄酮含量在14.97~183.94 
mg/g范围内,毛竹中7种黄酮总含量最高,为183.94 
mg/g。不同竹种间7种黄酮成分的含量存在显著差异,荭草苷、异荭草苷和牡荆苷含量均在毛竹中最高,分别为38.45、101.30和9.42 
mg/g。竹叶提取物清除DPPH自由基的IC50值在78.23~179.41 mg/L范围内,清除羟基自由基的IC50值在203.48~1250.81 
mg/L范围内。毛竹叶提取物清除DPPH和羟基自由基的IC50值分别为78.23 mg/L和203.48 
mg/L,其抗氧化活性最强,具有开发应用价值。相关性分析结果表明,荭草苷、异荭草苷含量与竹叶提取物抗氧化活性密切相关。

DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1123.2024.01008
PMCID: PMC11439136
PMID: 39327661 [Indexed for MEDLINE]


3. J Ethnopharmacol. 2024 Sep 24;337(Pt 2):118836. doi:
10.1016/j.jep.2024.118836.  Online ahead of print.

Identifying key components from Melastoma dodecandrum in TNF-α-induced 
osteoblast injury model through a combination of cell membrane chromatography 
and mass spectrometry.

Mao J(1), Lei H(2), Xu P(3), Liu S(4), Zhou J(5), Mei M(6), Wang N(7), Zhang 
X(8).

Author information:
(1)Lishui TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Lishui 
Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Lishui, 323000, China; School of 
Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, 
China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of She Medicine Inheritance, 
Innovation, Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China; 
Lishui She Medicine Inheritance, Innovation, Development and Application Key 
Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China. Electronic address: 
272247652@qq.com.
(2)Lishui TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Lishui 
Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Lishui, 323000, China; Zhejiang 
Provincial Key Laboratory of She Medicine Inheritance, Innovation, Development 
and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China; Lishui She Medicine 
Inheritance, Innovation, Development and Application Key Laboratory of 
Traditional Chinese Medicine, China. Electronic address: zjleihx@163.com.
(3)Zhejiang Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Department of Traditional 
Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou, 310005, China. Electronic address: xpc123ok@163.com.
(4)Lishui TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Lishui 
Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Lishui, 323000, China; Zhejiang 
Provincial Key Laboratory of She Medicine Inheritance, Innovation, Development 
and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China; Lishui She Medicine 
Inheritance, Innovation, Development and Application Key Laboratory of 
Traditional Chinese Medicine, China. Electronic address: lius19962020@163.com.
(5)Lishui TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Lishui 
Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Lishui, 323000, China. Electronic 
address: spk1126@163.com.
(6)Zhejiang Provincial Ethnic Hospital, Jingning, 323500, China. Electronic 
address: meimr@163.com.
(7)School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 
Hangzhou, 310053, China; Zhejiang Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 
Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou, 310005, China. Electronic 
address: wnn8511@163.com.
(8)Lishui TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Lishui 
Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Lishui, 323000, China; Zhejiang 
Provincial Key Laboratory of She Medicine Inheritance, Innovation, Development 
and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China; Lishui She Medicine 
Inheritance, Innovation, Development and Application Key Laboratory of 
Traditional Chinese Medicine, China. Electronic address: 751008018@qq.com.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Melastoma dodecandrum (MD), a traditional 
ethnomedicine, has been widely used for the treatment of fractures, 
osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis due to its remarkable anti-inflammatory 
activity. However, the specific active components responsible for its 
therapeutic effects on orthopedic conditions remain unidentified.
AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to screen and identify key active components 
in MD using a combination of cell membrane chromatography and mass spectrometry, 
followed by cellular validation.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A TNF-α-induced osteoblast injury model and an osteoblast 
membrane chromatography screening system were established to select and identify 
chemical components of MD that directly act on osteoblasts. The protective 
effects of MD on osteoblasts were assessed by evaluating cell viability, 
alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, cell mineralization and the expression of 
osteogenesis-related proteins OCN, RUNX2, and the TNF-α receptor protein TNFR1. 
Validation of the activity of individual components was also conducted.
RESULTS: MD significantly improved the viability of osteoblasts under 
TNF-α-induced injury, enhanced ALP activity, stimulated the expression of OCN 
and RUNX2 proteins, and decreased the expression of TNFR1. Cell membrane 
chromatography screening identified 32 chemical components, including 21 
flavonoids, 6 organic acids, 2 phenylpropanoids, 2 terpenes, and 1 nucleotide. 
Molecular docking revealed that isovitexin could bind to the specific receptor 
TNFR1 on the cell membrane. Furthermore, cellular validation demonstrated that 
isovitexin significantly protected osteoblasts.
CONCLUSIONS: MD and its pharmacologically active component, isovitexin, exhibit 
protective effects against TNF-α-induced inflammatory injury in osteoblasts, 
laying a solid foundation for future drug development.

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

DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118836
PMID: 39326812

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. Heliyon. 2024 Jun 22;10(17):e33422. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e33422. 
eCollection 2024 Sep 15.

Phytochemical profile and antimicrobial activity of Jatropha curcas extracts 
against oral microorganisms.

Kamaruddin A(1), Harun WHAW(1), Bakri MM(1), Abidin SAZ(2), Giribabu N(3), Syed 
Abdul Rahman SN(1).

Author information:
(1)Department of Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti 
Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
(2)Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University, 
47500, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
(3)Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603, 
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

INTRODUCTION: The growing problem of antimicrobial resistance on a global scale 
has highlighted the need to investigate alternative antimicrobial agents with 
reduced side effects. Plant-derived secondary metabolites have emerged as 
potential contenders in tackling this challenge. Jatropha curcas, a perennial 
plant, has traditionally been utilized for the treatment of gum boils, 
toothaches, and infections. This plant exhibits a wide range of pharmacological 
properties. However, its potential as an antimicrobial agent against oral 
microorganisms has yet to be investigated. Hence, the objective of this study 
was to investigate the antimicrobial properties of Jatropha curcas extracts 
against selected bacteria and fungi commonly present in the oral cavity.
METHODOLOGY: Jatropha curcas samples were collected from Bagan Datuk, Perak, 
Malaysia, and subsequently identified at Universiti Malaya. The ethanolic 
extract of the leaves (ELJC) and the stem bark latex (LJC) of Jatropha curcas 
were tested against six species of oral microorganism: Streptococcus sanguinis , 
Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus mitis, Lactobacillus helveticus, Candida 
albicans , Candida tropicalis, and a mixture of these microorganisms. The 
methods employed in this study were well diffusion assay, minimum inhibitory 
concentration, minimum bacterial concentration, live-dead assay, field emission 
scanning electron microscopy, and liquid chromatography with tandem mass 
spectrometry.
RESULTS: ELJC and LJC demonstrated significant antimicrobial effects (p < 0.05). 
Treatment with ELJC and LJC resulted in morphological changes and increased 
death rates in the targeted microorganisms. ELJC was found to contain more than 
300 bioactive compounds, with isovitexin, being the most abundant. In contrast, 
LJC exhibited over 1000 bioactive compounds with 2-hexyl-decanoic acid and 
2,4,6-trihydroxybenzoic acid being the predominant constituents.
CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the antimicrobial effects observed in 
ELJC and LJC against S. sanguinis and S. mutans can be primarily attributed to 
isovitexin, 2-hexyl-decanoic acid, and trihydroxybenzoic acid. However, further 
research and investigation are necessary to elucidate the mechanisms by which 
these constituents exert their antimicrobial effects on the microorganisms.

© 2024 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e33422
PMCID: PMC11401117
PMID: 39281546

Conflict of interest statement: 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.


5. Nutrients. 2024 Sep 6;16(17):3017. doi: 10.3390/nu16173017.

Effects of Purified Vitexin and Iso-Vitexin from Mung Bean Seed Coat on 
Antihyperglycemic Activity and Gut Microbiota in Overweight Individuals' 
Modulation.

Yutharaksanukul P(1), Tangpromphan P(2), Tunsagool P(1), Sae-Tan S(3), 
Nitisinprasert S(1), Somnuk S(4), Nakphaichit M(1), Pusuntisumpun N(1), Wanikorn 
B(1).

Author information:
(1)Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Kasetsart University, 
Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
(2)Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart 
University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
(3)Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agro-Industry, 
Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
(4)Department of Sports and Health Science, Faculty of Sports Science, Kasetsart 
University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Nakhon Pathom 73140, Thailand.

Exceeding a healthy weight significantly elevates the likelihood of developing 
type 2 diabetes (T2DM). A commercially available singular constituent, available 
as either purified vitexin or iso-vitexin, has been associated with a decreased 
risk of T2DM, but its synergistic effect has not been reported yet. Vitexin and 
iso-vitexin were extracted using an ethanol-based solvent from mung bean seed 
coat (MBCE) and subsequently purified using preparative liquid chromatography 
(Prep-LC). Eleven mixture ratios of vitexin and/or iso-vitexin were determined 
for their antioxidant and antihyperglycemic activities. The 1:1.5 ratio of 
vitexin to iso-vitexin from MBCE demonstrated the most synergistic effects for 
enzyme inhibition and glucose uptake in HepG2 cells within an insulin-resistant 
system, while these ratios exhibited a significantly lower antioxidant capacity 
than that of each individual component. In a gut model system, the ratio of 
1:1.5 (vitexin and iso-vitexin) regulated the gut microbiota composition in 
overweight individuals by decreasing the growth of Enterobacteriaceae and 
Enterococcaceae, while increasing in Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae. The 
application of vitexin/iso-vitexin for 24 h fermentation enhanced a high variety 
of abundances of 21 genera resulting in five genera of Parabacteroides, 
Ruminococcus, Roseburia, Enterocloster, and Peptacetobacter, which belonged to 
the phylum Firmicutes, exhibiting high abundant changes of more than 5%. Only 
two genera of Proteus and Butyricicoccus belonging to Proteobacteria and 
Firmicutes decreased. The findings suggest that these phytochemicals 
interactions could have synergistic effects in regulating glycemia, through 
changes in antihyperglycemic activity and in the gut microbiota in overweight 
individuals. This optimal ratio can be utilized by industries to formulate more 
potent functional ingredients for functional foods and to create nutraceutical 
supplements aimed at reducing the risk of T2DM in overweight individuals.

DOI: 10.3390/nu16173017
PMCID: PMC11396884
PMID: 39275332 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

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