Psychoactive Plant Database - Neuroactive Phytochemical Collection

1. Sci Total Environ. 2024 Feb 25;913:169719. doi:
10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169719.  Epub 2024 Jan 1.

Deciphering the impact of microenvironmental factors on cuticular hydrocarbon 
degradation in Lucilia sericata empty Puparia: Bridging ecological and forensic 
entomological perspectives using machine learning models.

Sharif S(1), Wunder C(2), Amendt J(3), Qamar A(4).

Author information:
(1)Institute of Legal Medicine, Forensic Biology, University Hospital, Goethe 
University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Electronic address: 
swaimasharif@gmail.com.
(2)Institute of Legal Medicine, Forensic Biology, University Hospital, Goethe 
University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Electronic address: wunder@uni-mainz.de.
(3)Institute of Legal Medicine, Forensic Biology, University Hospital, Goethe 
University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Electronic address: 
amendt@em.uni-frankfurt.de.
(4)Section of Entomology, Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, 
Aligarh 202002, U.P., India. Electronic address: ayesha.zo@amu.ac.in.

Blow flies (Calliphoridae) play essential ecological roles in nutrient recycling 
by consuming decaying organic matter. They serve as valuable bioindicators in 
ecosystem management and forensic entomology, with their unique feeding behavior 
leading to the accumulation of environmental pollutants in their cuticular 
hydrocarbons (CHCs), making them potential indicators of exposure history. This 
study focuses on CHC degradation dynamics in empty puparia of Lucilia sericata 
under different environmental conditions for up to 90 days. The three distinct 
conditions were considered: outdoor-buried, outdoor-above-ground, and indoor 
environments. Five predominant CHCs, n-Pentacosane (n-C25), n-Hexacosane 
(n-C26), n-Heptacosane (n-C27), n-Octacosane (n-C28), and n-Nonacosane (n-C29), 
were analyzed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The findings 
revealed variations in CHC concentrations over time, influenced by environmental 
factors, with significant differences at different time points. Correlation 
heatmap analysis indicated negative correlations between weathering time and 
certain CHCs, suggesting decreasing concentrations over time. Machine learning 
techniques Support Vector Machine (SVM), Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), and 
eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) models explored the potential of CHCs as age 
indicators. SVM achieved an R-squared value of 0.991, demonstrating high 
accuracy in age estimation based on CHC concentrations. MLP also exhibited 
satisfactory performance in outdoor conditions, while SVM and MLP yielded 
unsatisfactory results indoors due to the lack of significant CHC variations. 
After comprehensive model selection and performance evaluations, it was found 
that the XGBoost model excelled in capturing the patterns in all three datasets. 
This study bridges the gap between baseline and ecological/forensic use of empty 
puparia, offering valuable insights into the potential of CHCs in environmental 
monitoring and investigations. Understanding CHCs' stability and degradation 
enhances blow flies' utility as bioindicators for pollutants and exposure 
history, benefiting environmental monitoring and forensic entomology.

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

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169719
PMID: 38171456 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

Conflict of interest statement: Declaration of competing interest None.


2. Forensic Sci Int. 2023 Aug;349:111748. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2023.111748. 
Epub 2023 Jun 5.

Cuticular hydrocarbons as weathering biomarkers of empty puparia of the 
forensically important blowfly Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 
(Diptera: Calliphoridae) in soil v/s under room conditions.

Sharif S(1), Wunder C(2), Khan MK(3), Qamar A(4), Amendt J(5).

Author information:
(1)Institute of Legal Medicine, Forensic Biology, University Hospital, Goethe 
University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Section of Entomology, Department of 
Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, U.P., India.
(2)Institute of Legal Medicine, Forensic Toxicology, University Hospital, Goethe 
University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
(3)Department of Forensic Medicine, Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College and 
Hospital, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, U.P., India.
(4)Section of Entomology, Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, 
Aligarh 202002, U.P., India. Electronic address: ayesha.zoology@gmail.com.
(5)Institute of Legal Medicine, Forensic Biology, University Hospital, Goethe 
University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Electronic address: 
amendt@em.uni-frankfurt.de.

Forensic entomology uses the age of insects, such as blow flies, to determine a 
minimum post-mortem interval (PMImin). Recent research has focused on using the 
analysis of specific cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) in adult insects and their 
empty puparia to estimate their age, as it has been shown that their profile 
changes are consistent with age. The current work is based on the weathering of 
five CHCs from empty puparia of Calliphora vicina that were stored in soil 
(field/outdoor) and non-soil (room/indoor conditions) based pupariation media 
for a total of six months. The experiment was conducted in a controlled 
environment chamber at a constant temperature of 25 ± 2 °C under constant 
darkness. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to analyze the 
cuticular hydrocarbons after they were extracted in n-Hexane. n-Pentacosane, 
n-Hexacosane, n-Heptacosane, n-Octacosane, and n-Nonacosane were the five CHCs 
investigated. Results showed that CHCs weathered more quickly in the soil than 
in the non-soil environment. It was also found that the abundance of Heptacosane 
increased in the samples during the fifth month when stored in a non-soil 
medium, while the abundances of all five CHCs were not detected after eight 
weeks onwards in soil pupation medium.

Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2023.111748
PMID: 37301034 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

Conflict of interest statement: Declaration of Competing Interest None.


3. Sci Total Environ. 2021 Oct 1;789:148070. doi:
10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148070.  Epub 2021 May 28.

Hourly measurement of PM(2.5)-bound nonpolar organic compounds in Shanghai: 
Characteristics, sources and health risk assessment.

Zhang K(1), Yang L(1), Li Q(1), Li R(1), Zhang D(1), Xu W(2), Feng J(1), Wang 
Q(3), Wang W(1), Huang L(1), Yaluk EA(1), Wang Y(1), Yu JZ(4), Li L(5).

Author information:
(1)School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, 
Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Organic Compound Pollution Control 
Engineering (MOE), Shanghai University, Shanghai, China.
(2)Aerodyne Research Inc., Billerica, MA, USA.
(3)Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Hong 
Kong, China.
(4)Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Hong 
Kong, China; Division of Environment & Sustainability, Hong Kong University of 
Science & Technology, Hong Kong, China.
(5)School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, 
Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Organic Compound Pollution Control 
Engineering (MOE), Shanghai University, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: 
Lily@shu.edu.cn.

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5)-bound nonpolar organic compounds (NPOCs), 
including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkanes, are commonly used 
as typical molecular markers for detailed source identification. Online thermal 
desorption aerosol gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TAG) system can obtain 
ambient data with hourly resolution, which is of great importance for 
investigating the diurnal characteristics and refined source identification of 
NPOCs. From June to October 2020, hourly ambient aerosol samples were collected 
and analyzed to investigate the characteristics and sources of 14 PAHs and 15 
alkanes (C21-C35) in PM2.5 using TAG at a suburban site of Baoshan district in 
Shanghai, China. The average concentration of summed PAHs and alkanes during the 
sampling period was 1.27 ± 1.4 ng/m3 and 8.87 ± 3.46 ng/m3, respectively, in 
which Benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF), Benzo[ghi]perylene (BghiP) and 
Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene (IcdP) are the dominant PAHs species, with n-Heptacosane 
(C27), n-Nonacosane (C29) and n-Hentriacontane (C31) being the most abundant 
n-alkane species. Carbon preference index (CPI) and carbon maximum (Cmax) number 
indicated that the sources of alkanes shifted from biogenic-oriented (such as 
plant wax) in the summer to anthropogenic-dominated (such as fossil fuels) in 
the autumn. Results from trajectory cluster analysis and potential source 
contribution function (PSCF) modeling showed that alkanes were mainly from the 
middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Plain including Anhui, Jiangxi, 
and Zhejiang provinces, while PAHs were mainly from northeastern China. Positive 
Matrix Factorization (PMF) model results indicated that gasoline (41.48%) and 
diesel (21.82%) were the two major sources of PM2.5-bound PAHs in summer and 
fall of 2020 in Shanghai, followed by coal consumption or catering (19.96%) and 
biomass burning (16.74%). Diurnal variation of PAHs sources resolved by PMF 
showed characteristic features consistent with the corresponding anthropogenic 
activities. For example, gasoline vehicle exhaust showed higher concentrations 
during traffic rush hours; while coal consumption or catering presented higher 
concentrations during lunch times from 10:00 to 12:00. In addition, the TAG data 
coupling with PMF also can be capable for source appointment of short-duration 
episodes. Health risk assessment showed that adult women were at greater 
lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) than people in other age groups, and people may 
subject to higher health risks at morning and night time. This work demonstrates 
that hourly NPOCs measured by TAG are uniquely specific on refined source 
identification and investigation into the characteristics of diurnal variations.

Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148070
PMID: 34323831

Conflict of interest statement: Declaration of competing interest The authors 
declare that they have no conflict of interest.


4. J Chem Ecol. 2020 Jan;46(1):40-47. doi: 10.1007/s10886-019-01129-6. Epub 2019 
Dec 6.

Factors Associated with Variation in Cuticular Hydrocarbon Profiles in the Navel 
Orangeworm, Amyelois transitella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

Ngumbi EN(1), Hanks LM(2), Suarez AV(2), Millar JG(3), Berenbaum MR(2).

Author information:
(1)Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, 
IL, 61801, USA. enn@illinois.edu.
(2)Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, 
IL, 61801, USA.
(3)Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, 
USA.

Erratum in
    J Chem Ecol. 2020 Feb;46(2):232. doi: 10.1007/s10886-020-01155-9.

Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are the main components of the epicuticular wax 
layer that in many insects functions as a barrier against desiccation. CHCs also 
play many other roles, including serving as sex pheromones, kairomones, primer 
pheromones, and colony-, caste-, species- and sex-recognition signals. In 
insects, CHC profiles can vary depending upon age, species, sex, and strain. 
Understanding factors associated with variation in hydrocarbon profiles is 
important for identifying potential vulnerabilities relating to pest ecology and 
life histories and for developing tools for pest monitoring and management 
strategies. In this study, we assessed potential sources of variation in CHC 
profiles in the navel orangeworm Amyelois transitella (Walker) (Lepidoptera: 
Pyralidae), an economically important pest of nut crops in California. Using 
coupled gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, we characterized and compared CHC 
profiles between adults of pyrethroid-resistant (R347) and susceptible (ALMOND) 
strains. We further compared CHC profiles from adults differing in age (1, 3, 5, 
and 7 d post-eclosion) and sex. Hydrocarbon profiles comprised 47 different CHCs 
in detectable quantities that ranged from C17 to C43 in chain length and 
included straight-chain alkanes and a variety of mono-, di-, and 
tri-methylalkanes. Adults from resistant populations had greater quantities of 
CHCs in total than those from susceptible strains, but relative quantities of 
individual components were similar. The six most abundant compounds were 
n-pentacosane, n-heptacosane, n-nonacosane, n-hentriacontane, 
11,25 + 13,23 + 15,21-dimethylpentatriacontane, and 
13,23 + 11,25 + 9,17-dimethylheptatriacontane. Post-eclosion, total CHCs 
increased with adult age, with males producing greater quantities than females 
at all ages. Our results show that CHC profiles vary depending on age, sex, and 
strain and suggest that CHC profiles may be useful as biomarkers to 
differentiate between insecticide- resistant and susceptible populations.

DOI: 10.1007/s10886-019-01129-6
PMID: 31808076 [Indexed for MEDLINE]


5. Pol J Vet Sci. 2019 Jun;22(2):369-376. doi: 10.24425/pjvs.2019.129230.

In vitro antioxidant and antibabesial activities of the extracts of Achillea 
millefolium.

Guz L(1), Adaszek Ł(2), Wawrzykowski J(3), Ziętek J(2), Winiarczyk S(2).

Author information:
(1)Department of Fish Diseases & Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 
University of Life Sciences, Akademicka 12, 20-033 Lublin, Poland.
(2)Department of Epizootiology and Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of 
Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences, Głęboka 30, 20-612 Lublin, 
Poland.
(3)Department of Animal Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University 
of Life Sciences, Akademicka 12, 20-033 Lublin, Poland.

Despite many phytochemical and pharmacological investigations, to date, there 
are no reports concerning the antibabesial activity of extracts of A. 
millefolium against B. canis. This study was aimed at investigating the 
biological activities of A. millefolium against the Babesia canis parasite and 
to identify its chemical ingredients. The water (WE), ethanol (EE) and 
hexane/acetone (H/AE) extracts of plant aerial parts were screened for total 
phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid compound (TFC), DPPH free 
radical-scavenging activity and its antibabesial activity assay. In this study, 
imidocarb diproprionate was used as a positive control. The H/AE and EE extracts 
were analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). In the EE 
extract, the main compounds were 17.64% methyl octadec-9-ynoate, 16.68% 
stigmast-5-en-3-ol(3α,24S) and 15.17% hexadecanoic acid. In the H/AE extract, 
the main compounds were 34.55% 11-decyldocosane, 14.31% N-tetratetracontane, 
8.22% β-caryophyllene, and 7.69% N-nonacosane. Extract of EE contained the 
highest content of phenolics followed by H/AE and WE. The concentration of 
flavonoids in EE, H/AE and WE extracts showed that TFC was higher in the EE 
samples followed by H/AE and WE. The antioxidant activities were highest for AA, 
followed by EE, WE and H/AE. The antibabesial assay showed that the WE, EE and 
H/AE extracts of A. millefolium were antagonistic to B. canis. At a 2 mg/mL 
concentration, it showed 58.7% (± 4.7%), 62.3% (± 5.5%) and 49.3% (± 5.1%) 
inhibitory rate in an antibabesial assay, respectively. Considering these 
results, the present findings suggest that A. millefolium extracts may be a 
potential therapeutic agent and that additional studies including in vivo 
experiments are essential.

Copyright© by the Polish Academy of Sciences.

DOI: 10.24425/pjvs.2019.129230
PMID: 31269341 [Indexed for MEDLINE]