Although the medicinal properties of Cannabis species have been known for centuries, the interest on its main active secondary metabolites as therapeutic alternatives for several pathologies has grown in recent years. This potential use has been a revolution worldwide concerning public health, production, use and sale of cannabis, and has led inclusively to legislation changes in some countries. The scientific advances and concerns of the scientific community have allowed a better understanding of cannabis derivatives as pharmacological options in several conditions, such as appetite stimulation, pain treatment, skin pathologies, anticonvulsant therapy, neurodegenerative diseases, and infectious diseases. However, there is some controversy regarding the legal and ethical implications of their use and routes of administration, also concerning the adverse health consequences and deaths attributed to marijuana consumption, and these represent some of the complexities associated with the use of these compounds as therapeutic drugs. This review comprehends the main secondary metabolites of Cannabis, approaching their therapeutic potential and applications, as well as their potential risks, in order to differentiate the consumption as recreational drugs. There will be also a focus on the analytical methodologies for their analysis, in order to aid health professionals and toxicologists in cases where these compounds are present.

The abuse of psychotropic substances is a well-known phenomenon, and many of them are usually associated with ancestral traditions and home remedies. This is the case of Mitragyna speciosa (kratom), a tropical tree used to improve work performance and to withstand great heat. According to several published studies, the main reasons for kratom consumption involve improving sexual performance and endurance, but also social and recreational uses for the feeling of happiness and euphoria; it is also used for medical purposes as a pain reliever, and in the treatment of diarrhea, fever, diabetes, and hypertension. However, this plant has gained more popularity amongst young people over the last years. Since it is available on the internet for purchase, its use is now widely as a drug of abuse, namely as a new psychoactive substance, being a cheaper alternative to opioids that does not require medical prescription in most countries. According to internet surveys by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction in 2008 and 2011, kratom was one of the most widely supplied new psychoactive substances. The composition of kratom is complex; in fact, more than 40 different alkaloids have been identified in Mitragyna speciosa so far, the major constituent being mitragynine, which is exclusive to this plant. Besides mitragynine, alkaloids such as corynantheidine and 7-hydroxamitragynine also present pharmacological effects, a feature that may be attributed to the remaining constituents as well. The main goal of this review is not only to understand the origin, chemistry, consumption, and analytical methodologies for analysis and mechanism of action, but also the use of secondary metabolites of kratom as therapeutic drugs and the assessment of potential risks associated with its consumption, in order to aid health professionals, toxicologists, and police authorities in cases where this plant is present.

Many species of the so-called exotic plants coexist with native species in a balanced way, but others thrive very quickly and escape human control, becoming harmful—these are called invasive alien species. In addition to overcoming geographic barriers, these species can defeat biotic and abiotic barriers, maintaining stable populations. Ailanthus altissima is no exception; it is disseminated worldwide and is considered high risk due to its easy propagation and resistance to external environmental factors. Currently, it has no particular use other than ornamental, even though it is used to treat epilepsy, diarrhea, asthma, ophthalmic diseases, and seborrhoea in Chinese medicine. Considering its rich composition in alkaloids, terpenoids, sterols, and flavonoids, doubtlessly, its use in medicine or other fields can be maximised. This review will focus on the knowledge of the chemical composition and the discovery of the biological properties of A. altissima to understand this plant better and maximise its possible use for purposes such as medicine, pharmacy, or the food industry. Methods for the extraction and detection to know the chemical composition will also be discussed in detail.

The demand for natural-based products for industrial applications is increasing sharply and therefore the search for new alternatives to the plants traditionally used is growing. These alternative plants can be an important source of bioactive compounds under a circular economy approach. Considering the potential future use of new plant extracts by the industry, it is necessary to assess the risk associated with their introduction into the ecosystem. This work aims to provide an insight into the volatile profiles and evaluate the potential (eco)toxic effects of essential oils (EO's) and hydrolates of four plant species, namely rockrose ( Cistus ladanifer ), curry plant ( Helichrysum italicum ), conehead thyme ( Thymbra capitata ) and basil ( Ocimum basilicum ). Chemical analysis was performed by GC-MS and acute toxicity tests were performed using the model organism Daphnia magna . The essential oil and the hydrolate from H. italicum , as well as all the other hydrolates caused no immobilization up to the highest concentrations tested, suggesting that all hydrolates present low to no risk towards D. magna. Similarly, the essential oil of H. italicum , presented negligible risk towards D. magna . For C. ladanifer and T. capitata essential oils, the EC 50 (the concentration estimated to immobilize 50 per cent of the Daphnia ) at 48h varied from 199.7 mg/L and 12.05 mg/L, respectively. The essential oil from C. ladanifer was mainly characterised by monoterpene hydrocarbons, while the H. italicum was richer in sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. Both essential oil and hydrolate from T. capitata contained exclusively monoterpene hydrocarbons with a particularly high content of carvacrol. The higher acute toxicity of T. capitata essential oil can be attributed to the high amount of carvacrol present in the distillate. Overall, of the essential oils and hydrolates tested, all can be classified as practically non-toxic, except for T. capitata essential oil that, according to the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) of the United Nations, can be classified as moderately toxic.

No abstract

The goal of the present work was the development of a method to determine beta-carbolines, i.e., tetrahydroharmine, harmine, and harmaline, together with N,N-dimethyltryptamine present in five different commercial tea extracts [Banisteriopsis caapi, Psychotria viridis, Peganum harmala, Mimosa tenuiflora and DC AB (commercial name)] which are used to prepare the ritualistic Ayahuasca tea beverages, that exerts psychoactive effects on the brain, due to interactions between these compounds. The analytes were extracted and preconcentrated by an optimized solid-phase extraction procedure and analysis was performed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Also, the optimization of the solid-phase extraction procedure was accomplished by evaluating different elution solvents and different proportions. Linearity was established from 0.2 to 20 µg/mL for all compounds, except for N,N-dimethyltryptamine (0.04 to 5 µg/mL), with determination coefficients above 0.99 for all analytes. The limits of quantification achieved for N,N-dimethyltryptamine and beta carbolines were 0.04 and 0.2 µg/mL, respectively. Recoveries ranged from 44 to 79%. Lastly, intra-and inter-day precision and accuracy values were considered acceptable, in agreement with the chosen guidelines. This is the first method that determined both beta-carbolines and N,N-dimethyltryptamine present in commercially available tea extracts using GC-MS.

Arbutus unedo spirit is a valuable product in Mediterranean countries. This spirit is usually marketed in Portugal without wood ageing. This work aims to characterize the ageing effect on the Arbutus unedo spirit, for three and six months with oak wood (Quercus robur L.) submitted to different toasting levels, based on its chemical composition and its sensory properties. For this purpose, several parameters were analysed: acidity, pH, dry extract, and volatile compounds (methanol, acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate and fusel alcohols). The volatile compounds were identified by GC-MS and quantified by GC-FID. Sensory analysis was performed by a trained panel, who have profiled this beverage, as well as the changes acquired during ageing. Spectroscopic techniques, namely FTIR–ATR, were applied to discriminate the different beverages produced. The results highlighted an increase in Arbutus unedo spirit’s quality with the wood contact, mainly based on the sensory attributes. Additionally, they showed that the best beverages were produced using oak wood with medium toasting levels during three months of ageing.

Cytisus spp. is present throughout the Portuguese territory. Although most of these species are considered native in Portugal, at least one species has already been reported as invasive in other parts of the world. Different measures of control have been investigated, and the application of herbicides is the most commonly used. This review gathers information about the biochemical profile and analytical methods used for the evaluation of the potential bioactivities of three species of the genus Cytisus, better known as brooms, which were used in traditional medicine through the production of infusions and decoctions for the treatment of several health problems, mainly due to their high value of phenolic compounds. However, little research has been conducted on its biological activities as a potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial agent. Furthermore, one species (Cytisus striatus) has not been subjected to extensive research in identifying chemical compounds and evaluating their potential bioactivities. This species (known as the Portuguese broom) has a great expression in one of the forest typologies with a considerable percentage in Portugal. This research work is essential to encourage a scientific and sustainable valorisation of Cytisus spp. (namely C. striatus), which will consequently contribute to forest cleaning and management to reduce the risk of wildfires.