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. Phytochem Anal. 2005 Jan-Feb;16(1):61-7. doi: 10.1002/pca.812. Isolation and identification of neo-clerodane diterpenes from Ajuga remota by high-performance liquid chromatography. Coll J(1), Tandrón Y. Author information: (1)Institut d'Investigacions Químiques i Ambientals de Barcelona 'Josep Pascual Vila', Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 08034-Barcelona, Spain. jctqob@iiqab.csic.es In order to explore the suitability of reversed-phase HPLC for the rapid isolation, identification and semi-preparative fractionation of neo-clerodane diterpenes from Ajuga remota, an extract from aerial parts of the plant was examined using a C18 column with UV detection and gradient elution with water:methanol. In addition to the known diterpenes ajugarins I, II, IV and V and clerodin, the presence and chromatographic behaviours of ajugapitin, dihydroajugapitin, dihydroclerodin and deacetylajugarin IV, not previously isolated from A. remota, were established. Presence of the epimeric mixture of 14-hydro-15-hydroxyclerodin (scutecyprol A) was also demonstrated together with that of 14-hydro-15-hydroxyajugapitin, the latter only in trace amounts. The structures of all isolated diterpenes were determined from NMR data. The anti-feedant activities of the isolated compounds against Spodoptera littoralis are also reported here. DOI: 10.1002/pca.812 PMID: 15688959 [Indexed for MEDLINE] 2. J Agric Food Chem. 2004 Dec 29;52(26):7867-71. doi: 10.1021/jf048532c. Extremely potent antifeedant neo-clerodane derivatives of scutecyprol A. Rosselli S(1), Maggio A, Piozzi F, Simmonds MS, Bruno M. Author information: (1)Dipartimento di Chimica Organica E. Paterno, Università di Palermo, viale delle Scienze, Parco d'Orleans II, 90128 Palermo, Italy. Two known neo-clerodane diterpenoids, scutecyprol A (1) and scutalbin C (2), have been isolated from the acetone extract of the aerial parts of Scutellaria sieberi. The antifeedant activity of scutecyprol A (1), of its 15-oxo derivative (3), and of several halohydrins (4-9), synthesized starting from compounds 1 and 3, against Spodoptera littoralis have been determined and structure-antifeedant relationships are discussed. DOI: 10.1021/jf048532c PMID: 15612769 [Indexed for MEDLINE]