topic 17 and 18

they can affect the central nervous system by altering neurostransmitter release, blocking reuptake or degradation, and they mimick neurotransmitters at the synapse between presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons

By what mechanisms do psychoactive drugs affect people?

dopamine and endorphins

Provide two examples of a neurotransmitter

stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens

What are the three major classes of psychoactive drugs?

stimulants: cocaine (Erythroxylum coca), nicotine (Nicotiana tabacum), depressants: morphine (Papaver somniferum), kava lactones (Piper methysticum). hallucinogens: THC (Cannabis sativa), mescaline (Lophophora williamsii) , all are alkaloids

Provide two examples each of the three major classes of psychoactive drugs from plants.

Psychological/physiological dependence, and tolerance

How do we recognize addiction,

the systems involved are mesolimbic dopamin system (the reward circuit), the key structure is the nucleus accumbens and all addictive drugs increase dopamine

what system of the brain do addictive drugs engage?

25.5%

Approximately what percentage of the US population used illicit drugs in 2024?

marijuana, prescription pain relievers (opioids)

What were the two most commonly used classes of illicit drugs?

family: papaveraceae, active: morphine, codeine, plant part: capsule (latex), class: alkaloid, type: depressant

For each of the following examples of a psychoactive plant species, provide the family, the "active principle", the plant part from which the "active principle" is extracted, the "active principle's" class of plant secondary compound, and whether it is a stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogen: Papaver somniferum

family: cannabaceae, active: THC, plant part: resin (trichomes on carpellate flowers), class: phenolic (cannabinoids), type: hallucinogen

. For each of the following examples of a psychoactive plant species, provide the family, the "active principle", the plant part from which the "active principle" is extracted, the "active principle's" class of plant secondary compound, and whether it is a stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogen:Cannabis sativa,

family: Erythroxylaceae, active: Cocaine, plant part: Leaves, class: alkaloid, type: stimulant

For each of the following examples of a psychoactive plant species, provide the family, the "active principle", the plant part from which the "active principle" is extracted, the "active principle's" class of plant secondary compound, and whether it is a stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogen: Erythroxylum coca,

family: Solanaceae, active: Nicotine, plant part: leaves, class: Alkaloid, type: Stimulant

For each of the following examples of a psychoactive plant species, provide the family, the "active principle", the plant part from which the "active principle" is extracted, the "active principle's" class of plant secondary compound, and whether it is a stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogen: Nicotiana tabacum

family: Cactaceae, active: mescaline, plant part: stem, class: alkaloid, type: hallucinogen

For each of the following examples of a psychoactive plant species, provide the family, the "active principle", the plant part from which the "active principle" is extracted, the "active principle's" class of plant secondary compound, and whether it is a stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogen: Lophophora williamsii,

family: Piperaceae, active: kava lactones, plant part: roots, class: lactones, type: depressant

For each of the following examples of a psychoactive plant species, provide the family, the "active principle", the plant part from which the "active principle" is extracted, the "active principle's" class of plant secondary compound, and whether it is a stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogen: Piper methysticum.

opiates show dual roles, including medical use, such as morphine and codeine for pain relief (analgesics), or the use of abuse ro addiction, including heroin, hydrocodone, oxycodone. it can lead to death when overdosing.

Use opiates to explain the idea that our relationship with psychoactive plants can be complex, ranging from our use of them for medicine, our abuse of them as an addictive drug, and, sometimes, our death from them

no accepted medical use

Schedule 1 of the U.S. government's list of controlled substances

medical use but high abuse risk

Schedule 2 of the U.S. government's list of controlled substances

this statement is not true as natural does not equal safe, and many natural plant medications can cause dependency or death

Assess the following statement: "In today’s modern world, there’s no downside if I can get a buzz from something that is not considered a controlled substance by the federal government. In fact, if it has a natural source, like the leaf of a plant, I should be even less worried about negative side effects like addiction, disease, or death.

it comes from the greek word toxicon

What is the source of the word "toxic"?

curare - used as a muscle relaxant in surgery, and strychnine ( from strychnos) which is used as poison, or historically as succession powders. concium maculatum is another example in which socrates was poisoned with coniine,

What are two ways that we have used plant poisons to our benefit?

taxus, nerium oleander, rhododendron,

Identify three poisonous plants that are widely planted in landscaping?

in taxus, the toxin is taxine, in nerium oldeander, the toxin is cardioactive glycosides, in rhododendron, the toxin is grayanotoxins

What is the toxic compound in each of the three poisonous plants that are widely planted in landscaping?

toxic protein

What is ricin

inhibits ribosomes which stops protein synthesis causing cell death

What is ricin effect on cells?

produced by ricinus communis (castor bean)

What species produces ricin

it is produced in seeds

what plant part is ricin produced in

its extremely toxic and listed as a category b bioterrorism agent by the CDC

Why is ricin noteworthy,

it means it is moderately easy to spread serious health impact

what does it mean to be on Category B of the CDC's bioterrorism agent list?

because toxins can be transferred indirectly, even if we do not consume the poisonous plant itself. For example, milk sickness occurred when cows consumed white snakeroot, allowing toxins to pass into milk that humans drank. Similarly, bracken fern contains ptaquiloside, a carcinogenic glycoside, which can contaminate food sources and increase cancer risk.

Why must we be concerned about plant poisons entering our food supply, even if we know which plants not to consume ourselves?

spine is a large sharp modfied structure, while a glochid is small barbed trichomes which easily detach

Contrast a cactus spine and a glochid.

an immune response to a substance. an allergen (antigen) enters the body, and the bodyy porduces antibodies, then it activates mast cells, releases histamines, and causes symptoms such as itching swelling.

What is an allergy?

it is not caused by hay or a fever

Why is "hay fever" a misnomer?

allergic rhinitis

What is a better term for hay fever condition?

oak trees, genus Guercus, releasing wind pollinated glycoproteins

What are the primary plant causes of "hay fever" in each of Spring,

grasses porducing airborne pollen allergens

What are the primary plant causes of "hay fever" in each of Summer

ragweed (ambrosia), a plant with staminate flowers releasing allergenic pollen

What are the primary plant causes of "hay fever" in each of Fall.

contains urushiol, a phenolic and causes contact dermatitis

Why should one avoid contact with the genus Toxicodendron?