OPEN Foundation

Day: 1 November 2016

New Studies on Hallucinogenic Mushrooms: History, Diversity, and Applications in Psychiatry

Abstract

This paper is a review of the new studies or new explanations of the hallucinogenic mushrooms, regarding their diversity, history, traditions, and problems in their recreational use, new taxonomic studies, and their modern applications in medicine, all of them since the 1970s to the present.

Guzmán, G. (2015). New Studies on Hallucinogenic Mushrooms: History, Diversity, and Applications in Psychiatry. International journal of medicinal mushrooms, 17(11). 10.1615/IntJMedMushrooms.v17.i11.10
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Australia should be initiating a psychedelic research program: What are the barriers?

Strauss, N., Bright, S. J., & Williams, M. L. (2016). Australia should be initiating a psychedelic research program: What are the barriers?. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 50(11), 1036-1037. 10.1177/0004867416670520
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MOLECULAR DOCKING STUDIES ON THE THERAPEUTIC TARGETS OF ALZHEIMER DISEASE (ACHE AND BCHE) USING NATURAL BIOACTIVE ALKALOIDS

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with many cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms, is biochemically characterized by a significant decrease in the brain neurotransmitter Acetylcholine (ACh). In the present insilico study, six plant bioactive compounds namely Harmol, Vasicine, Harmaline, Harmine, Harmane and Harmalol (from P. Nigellastrum Bunge) were analyzed for their inhibitory role on AChE (Acetylcholinesterase) and BChE (Butyrylcholinesterase) activity by applying the molecular docking studies. Other parameters viz. determination of molecular interaction-based binding affinity values, protein-ligand interactions, Lipinski rule of five, functional properties and biological activities for the above compounds were also calculated by employing the appropriate bioinformatics tools. The results of docking analysis clearly showed that Harmalol has highest binding affinity with AChE (-8.6 kcal/mole) and BChE (-8.0 kcal/mole) but it does not qualified the enzyme inhibitory activity, since it was exerted, and also has least percentage activity on AD and neurodegenerative disease. Whereas, the Harmine has been second qualified binding affinity (-8.4 kcal/mol) and first in other parameters when compared with Harmalol. Hence, we are concluding that Harmine is the best compound for further studies to treat AD.

Jyothi, P., & Yellamma, K. (2016). MOLECULAR DOCKING STUDIES ON THE THERAPEUTIC TARGETS OF ALZHEIMER DISEASE (AChE AND BChE) USING NATURAL BIOACTIVE ALKALOIDS. International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 8(12).
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30 April - Q&A with Rick Strassman

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