Phytochemistry
July 1, 2007
Lukasz Kutrzeba, Franck E Dayan, J'Lynn Howell et al.
45 citations
Salvinorin A, a potent kappa-opioid receptor agonist from the hallucinogenic plant Salvia divinorum, is biosynthesized via the 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate (DXP) pathway, not the classic mevalonic acid pathway. This was determined by feeding microshoots with isotopically labeled precursors and analyzing the resulting salvinorin A (2.7 mg from 200 microshoots) using NMR and HR-ESI-MS. Incorporation of labeled glucose and 1-deoxy-D-xylulose confirmed the DXP pathway, while labeled methionine showed that methylation of the C-4 carboxyl group is catalyzed by a type III S-adenosyl-L-methionine-dependent O-methyltransferase.
Phytochemistry
May 1, 2017
André Cruz, Sara Domingos, Eugenia Gallardo et al.
44 citations
Salvinorin A, the active compound in the plant Salvia divinorum, is the most potent natural hallucinogen known, with as little as 200-500 μg of smoked leaves producing intense hallucinations. It acts as a highly selective agonist of the kappa-opioid receptor. Originally used only by the Mazatec people of Oaxaca, Mexico, it has become a globally accessible drug of abuse. Scientific interest has grown due to its unique structure and properties; studies have demonstrated antinociceptive, antidepressant, in some circumstances pro-depressant, and anti-addictive effects, opening potential new avenues for therapeutic applications.
Phytochemistry
February 1, 2024
Rubi Barman, Pranjit Kumar Bora, Jadumoni Saikia et al.
9 citations
The Myristicaceae plant family produces mind-altering compounds including phenylpropanoids (myristicin, elemicin, safrole), tryptamine derivatives (DMT, 5-MeO-DMT), and β-carbolines. This review proposes biosynthetic pathways for these hallucinogenic metabolites. In plants, serotonin biosynthesis is catalyzed by tryptamine 5-hydroxylase (T5H) and tryptophan 5-hydroxylase (TPH), whereas in animals only TPH is involved. The enzyme indolethylamine-N-methyltransferase catalyzes DMT biosynthesis in both plants and mammalian brains. Protein sequence data from NCBI revealed a co-evolutionary relationship between plant and animal enzymes on a phylogenetic tree. The review suggests that DMT, 5-MeO-DMT, and β-carbolines serve as natural protectants against plant stress and neurodegenerative diseases, reflecting co-evolutionary mutualism between plants and humans.