Hypothetical biosynthetic pathways of pharmaceutically potential hallucinogenic metabolites in Myristicaceae, mechanistic convergence and co-evolutionary trends in plants and humans.

The family Myristicaceae harbour mind-altering phenylpropanoids like myristicin, elemicin, safrole, tryptamine derivatives such as N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and 5-methoxy N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) and ß-carbolines such as 1-methyl-6-methoxy-dihydro-ß-carboline and 2-methyl-6-methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-ß-carboline. This study aimed to systematically review and propose the hypothetical biosynthetic pathways of hallucinogenic metabolites of Myristicaceae which have the potential to be used pharmaceutically. Relevant publications were retrieved from online databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed Central, Science Direct and the distribution of the hallucinogens among the family was compiled. The review revealed that the biosynthesis of serotonin in plants was catalysed by tryptamine 5-hydroxylase (T5H) and tryptophan 5-hydroxylase (TPH), whereas in invertebrates and vertebrates only by tryptophan 5-hydroxylase (TPH). Indolethylamine-N-methyltransferase catalyses the biosynthesis of DMT in plants and the brains of humans and other mammals. Caffeic acid 3-O-methyltransferase catalyses the biosynthesis of both phenylpropanoids and tryptamines in plants. All the hallucinogenic markers exhibited neuropsychiatric effects in humans as mechanistic convergence. The review noted that DMT, 5-MeO-DMT, and ß-carbolines were natural protectants against both plant stress and neurodegenerative human ailments. The protein sequence data of tryptophan 5-hydroxylase and tryptamine 5-hydroxylase retrieved from NCBI showed a co-evolutionary relationship in between animals and plants on the phylogenetic framework of a Maximum Parsimony tree. The review also demonstrates that the biosynthesis of serotonin, DMT, 5-MeO-DMT, 5-hydroxy dimethyltryptamine, and ß-carbolines in plants, as well as endogenous secretion of these compounds in the brain and blood of humans and rodents, reflects co-evolutionary mutualism in plants and humans.

A 1H NMR spectroscopic method for the quantification of propenylbenzenes in the essential oils: Evaluation of key odorants, antioxidants and post-harvest drying techniques for Piper betle L.

1H quantitative Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (qNMR) spectroscopy technique has certain advantages such as low-temperature operation, authentic structural prediction and short data acquisition time. In this study, a 1H qNMR method was developed for the analysis of propenylbenzenes (eugenol and seven analogues) in the essential oils, a broadly distributed class of natural flavours. It was validated in terms of specificity (methoxy/acetate signal), linearity (range 0.05-5.00 mg per assay), sensitivity (limit of detection and quantification 4.4 and 14.9 µg/mL respectively), accuracy and precision. The qNMR technique was utilized during the sensory or activity-guided identification of chavibetol as the key odorant and antioxidant in the betel (Piper betle L., Bangla cultivar) oil, a widely consumed chewing stimulant and valuable flavouring agent. The method was also applied for the evaluation of six different post-harvest drying techniques for betel leaves through the quantitative analysis of unambiguously identified propenylbenzene markers (chavibetol, chavibetol acetate and 4-allyl-1,2-phenylene diacetate).