Hypothetical biosynthetic pathways of pharmaceutically potential hallucinogenic metabolites in Myristicaceae, mechanistic convergence and co-evolutionary trends in plants and humans.
Rubi Barman, Pranjit Kumar Bora, Jadumoni Saikia, Parthapratim Konwar, Aditya Sarkar, Phirose Kemprai, Siddhartha Proteem Saikia, Saikat Haldar, Adrian Slater, Dipanwita Banik
Phytochemistry February 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2023.113928 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Myristicaceae Phenylpropanoids Tryptamine Β-carboline Neuropharmacology psychopharmacology Brain chemistry Ethnobotany medicinal plants Plant medicine Biochemistry biosynthesis Molecular biology Hallucinogens psychedelics |
| Citations | 9 |
| Key findings | The review proposes that hallucinogenic metabolites in Myristicaceae are biosynthesized via pathways involving enzymes shared between plants and animals, indicating co-evolutionary mutualism. |
Abstract
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 β-carbolines such as 1-methyl-6-methoxy-dihydro-β-carboline and 2-methyl-6-methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-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 β-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 β-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.