Common Flower Species Holds Promise for Beneficial Hallucinogenic Drugs

A symbiotic relationship between fungus and many species of morning glories contains elements of powerful psychedelic drugs, according to a new Tulane University study published in the journal Communications Biology.

Psychedelic drugs, also known as hallucinogenic drugs, are a group of substances that are usually used to change and enhance sensory perceptions, thought processes, and energy levels, and to facilitate spiritual experiences.

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‘Fungal symbionts produced ergot alkaloids similar to a hallucinogenic drug, Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in the morning glory seeds plant.’

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The seeds of the common tropical vine, whose namesake trumpet-like blooms only open in the morning, contain compounds that could be useful for treating mental and physical diseases as well as promoting well-being, said plant and fungal biologist Keith Clay, chairman of the Tulane Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

Researchers from Tulane, Indiana University, and the West Virginia University obtained samples of morning glory seeds from worldwide herbarium collections and screened them for ergot alkaloids, a compound associated with the hallucinogenic drug LSD, but which have also been used for treating migraine headaches and Parkinson’s disease.

Many morning glory species contain high concentrations of bioactive ergot alkaloids that are produced by specialized fungal symbionts passed down from mother plant to offspring through their seeds.

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Researchers found that one-quarter of over 200 species tested contained ergot alkaloids and were therefore symbiotic.

Named for the ergot fungus responsible for deadly outbreaks of Saint Anthony’s Fire, a disease caused by ingestion of the fungus, in the Middle Ages, ergot alkaloids have had a long and convoluted association with humans.

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The best-known ergot alkaloid is LSD, a synthetic derivative of naturally occurring ergot alkaloids in morning glories produced by their fungal partners.

Historically, such alkaloid compounds have been used by indigenous peoples of Central and South America for their effects on the human mind and for regulating human reproduction.

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More recently they have been used for obstetric issues during labor and delivery and treatment of migraine, Parkinson’s, and other maladies.

This study is the first to show how highly coevolved morning glories and their symbiotic fungi are, and that coevolution is manifested by different mixtures and concentrations of ergot alkaloids across the morning glory evolutionary tree.

Source-Medindia