The ethnobotany of psychoactive plant use: a phylogenetic perspective

摘要: Psychoactive plants contain chemicals that presumably evolved as allelochemicals but target certain neuronal receptors when consumed by humans, altering perception, emotion and cognition. These have been used since ancient times medicines in the context of religious rituals for their various psychoactive effects (e.g., hallucinogens, stimulants, sedatives). The ubiquity cultures motivates investigation commonalities among these plants, which a phylogenetic framework may be insightful. A phylogeny culturally diverse plant taxa was constructed with psychotropic affected neurotransmitter systems mapped on phylogeny. distribution shows multiple evolutionary origins families. families Myristicaceae nutmeg), Papaveraceae (opium poppy), Cactaceae (peyote), Convolvulaceae (morning glory), Solanaceae (tobacco), Lamiaceae (mints), Apocynaceae (dogbane) disproportionate number genera indigenous groups using geographically disparate members same effect, an example cultural convergence. Pharmacological traits related to hallucinogenic sedative potential are phylogenetically conserved within Unrelated exert similar also modulate (i.e., mechanistic convergence). However, pharmacological mechanisms stimulant were varied even suggesting more evolutionarily labile than those associated effects. Chemically exist unrelated lineages, convergent evolution or differential gene regulation common metabolic pathway. Our study has shown analysis traditionally suggests ethnobotanical widespread human dependence motivating into modern therapeutics neurological disorders.