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Plant Species from the Atlantic Forest Biome and Their Bioactive Constituents
Published in Luzia Valentina Modolo, Mary Ann Foglio, Brazilian Medicinal Plants, 2019
Rebeca Previate Medina, Carolina Rabal Biasetto, Lidiane Gaspareto Felippe, Lilian Cherubin Correia, Marília Valli, Afif Felix Monteiro, Alberto José Cavalheiro, Ângela Regina Araújo, Ian Castro-Gamboa, Maysa Furlan, Vanderlan da Silva Bolzani, Dulce Helena Siqueira Silva
Additional sources of hallucinogenic snuffs have been associated with the Myristicaceae family, especially from the genus Virola. Although myristicaceous seeds, especially from Virola and Iryanthera species have been extensively investigated by South American researchers, their chemical profiles are mostly associated with lignans, neolignans and other shikimic acid-derived biosynthetic pathways. These natural products failed to support the hallucinogenic properties of Virola species used in snuff preparation. Indian tribes of the northwest Amazon Basin as “Puinaves” and “Waiká” were reported to use the blood-red bark resin of Virola calophylla, V. calophylloidea and V. theiodora in the preparation of snuffs known as “yakee”, “epena” and “nyakwana”, where tryptamines are present in high concentrations, with 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (19) (Figure 9.3) as the major constituent. Hallucinogenic preparations still in current use in religious rituals in Brazil as “ayhuasca” include plants containing tryptamines as Psychotria viridis and Banisteria caapi (Barker et al., 2012; Schultes, 1969).
Hallucinogens, CNS Stimulants, And Cannabis
Published in S.J. Mulé, Henry Brill, Chemical and Biological Aspects of Drug Dependence, 2019
The Virola snuffs of northern South America have long been associated with the Piptadenia group of intoxicants known as Yaje. Although originally thought to be related to nutmeg, these are now known to contain alkaloids.16 These are positional isomers of the harmaline series and are more potent. Here, the major alkaloid is the tetrahydro isomer17 (Figure 7, R1 = CH3, R2 = H), but the two dehydrogenation products (6-methoxyharmalan and 6-methoxyharman, Figure 7, with one and two double bonds in the pyridine ring) are clearly present.18 Theoretically, these plant products are derivable from the brain hormone melatonin. This potential route to an endogenously-produced psychotogen has been advanced as a clear and simple explanation of mental illness,19 but it has not yet received experimental support.
Catalog of Herbs
Published in James A. Duke, Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, 2018
Toxicity — Classed as a narcotic hallucinogen.54 Mixed with Theobroma, Virola snuff is powerful, causing intoxication which, it is reported, has occasionally led to death among witch doctors.58
Metabolomic profile, anti-trypanosomal potential and molecular docking studies of Thunbergia grandifolia
Published in Journal of Enzyme Inhibition and Medicinal Chemistry, 2023
Heba A. S. El-Nashar, Ahmed M. Sayed, Hany A. M. El-Sherief, Mostafa E. Rateb, Lina Akil, Ibrahim Khadra, Taghreed A. Majrashi, Sara T. Al-Rashood, Faizah A. Binjubair, Mahmoud A. El Hassab, Wagdy M. Eldehna, Usama Ramadan Abdelmohsen, Nada M. Mostafa
The effective chemotherapeutic agents in the treatment of trypanosomiasis are still in great demand42. The available drugs such as uramin and pentamidine, are only effective against the early blood stage infection of T. brucei rhodesiense43. Furthermore, the drugs that maybe effective against the West African sleeping sickness caused by T. brucei gambiense may not be efficient against T. brucei rhodesiense44. Thus, our study underlines the necessity to peek into medicinal plants for drug discovery. In our study, the extract showed a promising inhibitory activity against T. brucei TC 221 with MIC value of 1.90 μg/mL within 72 h, thereby confirming presence of anti-trypanosomal compounds in the plant. The HPLC-MS analysis reported presence of iridoid glycosides, napthoquinones, lignans and flavonoids as shown in Table 1. It may be possible that the extract exerted the anti-trypanosomal action with iridoid glycosides as has been previously declared against Trypanosoma45–47. Furthermore, flavonoids and lignans of Virola surinamensis twigs were reported for activity against trypomastigote form of Trypanosoma cruzi48.
Brazilian medicinal plants with corroborated anti-inflammatory activities: a review
Published in Pharmaceutical Biology, 2018
Victor Pena Ribeiro, Caroline Arruda, Mohamed Abd El-Salam, Jairo Kenupp Bastos
Jatropha elliptica (Pohl) Oken (Euphorbiaceae) (Ferreira-Rodrigues et al. 2016), Justicia pectoralis Jacq. (Acanthaceae) (Leal et al. 2000), Kalanchoe brasiliensis Cambess (Crassulaceae) (Costa et al. 2006), Magnolia ovata (A. St.-Hil) Spreng. (Magnoliaceae) (Kassuya et al. 2009); Mikania glomerata Spreng. (Asteraceae) (Fierro et al. 1999); Myracroduon urundeuva Allemao (Anacardiaceae) (Souza et al. 2007), Peschiera australis (Mull. Arg.) Miers (Apocynaceae) – Tabernaemontana catharinensis D.C. (Apocynaceae) (Rates et al. 1993), Piper marginatum Jacq. (Piperaceae) (D’Angelo et al. 1997), Plinia edulis (Vell.) Sobral (Myrtaceae) (Azevedo et al. 2016), Stachytarpheta cayennensis (Rich) Vahl. (Verbenaceae) (Penido, Costa, Futuro, et al. 2006), Tabebuia impetiginosa (Mart. Ex. D.C.) Standl. (Bignoniaceae) (Koyama et al. 2000), Vanillosmopsis arborea (Gardner) Kaber. (Asteraceae) (Santos et al. 2015), Virola michelii Heckel (Myristicaceae) Carvalho, Sertie, et al. (1999), Ximenia americana L. (Ximeniaceae) (Shettar et al. 2015), Zeyheria montana Mart. (Bignoniaceae) (Guenka et al. 2008), Byrsonima intermedia A. Juss (Malpighiaceae) (Orlandia et al. 2011), and other plants native to Brazil with anti-inflammatory activities need further studies to fully elucidate their mechanisms of action.
Use of Benefit Enhancement Strategies among 5-Methoxy-N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) Users: Associations with Mystical, Challenging, and Enduring Effects
Published in Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 2020
Rafael L. Lancelotta, Alan K. Davis
Regarding the historical use of 5-MeO-DMT, there is evidence of spiritual and recreational use via snuffs derived from Virola theiodora resin or Anadenanthera peregrina seeds (Agurell et al., 1969; Mckenna, Towers, and Abbott 1984; Schultes 1984; Torres and Repke 2006; Trout 2015). However, although some research has proposed that toad venom containing 5-MeO-DMT may have been used by indigenous cultures (Weil and Davis 1994), anecdotal evidence does not support this claim (VICELAND 2017). The recent discovery of 5-MeO-DMT in Incilius alvarius toad venom secretions has led to a popularization of its recreational and spiritual use (Weil and Davis 1994; Uthaug et al., 2019; Davis et al. 2018), but seems to be of more recent origin.