Exploring the potential of cannabis in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

• Grant number: 23/01800-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2023
• End date: October 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Analytical Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Alessandra Sussulini
• Grantee: Alessandra Sussulini
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Alexandre Leite Rodrigues de Oliveira ; Helena Passarelli Giroud Joaquim Nadal ; Leda Leme Talib ; Luís Fernando Farah de Tófoli ; Renato Filev
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/08564-5 - Development of protocols for data processing, statistical and chemometric analysis in global metabolomics by LC-MS/MS, BP.TT

Abstract

Neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), are becoming a major health concern, once the life expectancy of the worldwide population is increasing. Current available treatments do not prevent neurodegeneration or induce neuronal repair, but only control the symptoms. Cannabis extracts and their isolated active compounds are being explored in Neurosciences due to their potential to act as multi-target medicines with mild or zero side effects. Understanding the molecular mechanisms involved and which metabolic signaling pathways are activated when these compounds encounter neural cells may turn the key to the development of better and more efficient treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. In this context, metabolomics is a powerful analytical tool to study the effects caused by phytocompounds in neural cells. Therefore, the metabolic alterations in an AD cell model of human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) produced by the treatment with cannabis full-spectrum extracts and isolated cannabinoids (cannabidiol - CBD - and tetrahydrocannabinol - THC) will be evaluated in this project. In parallel, a metabolomics study using plasma samples from AD patients will be performed, in order to establish the metabolic pathways directly affected by the disease. By integrating these results, it will be possible to evaluate the actual potential of the studied treatments for AD. (AU)

Scientific publications

(5)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

TEGA, DAVID ULISSES; OLIVEIRA, LUAN FELIPE CAMPOS; FERREIRA, PATRICK CESAR; SOLDERA, BRUNA BEATRIZ; NASCIMENTO, HELIARA DALVA LOPES; EBERLIN, MARCOS NOGUEIRA; SUSSULINI, ALESSANDRA. Caffeine quantification in dietary supplements using high-throughput on-line solid phase extraction coupled to Venturi easy ambient sonic-spray ionization mass spectrometry. ANALYTICAL METHODS, v. 16, n. 17, p. 6-pg., 2024-04-03. (14/50867-3, 23/01800-2)

CHAVES, C. J. N.; CACOSSI, T. C.; MATOS, T. S.; BENTO, J. P. S. P.; GONCALVES, L. N.; SILVA, S. F.; DA SILVA-FERREIRA, M., V; BARBIN, D. F.; MAYER, J. L. S.; SUSSULINI, A.; et al. Bromeliad populations perform distinct ecological strategies across a tropical elevation gradient (vol 38, pg 910, 2024). FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, v. 38, n. 6, p. 1-pg., 2024-04-21. (21/10639-5, 20/14805-4, 15/24351-2, 20/16696-8, 23/01800-2, 22/07480-7, 22/04148-1, 18/07596-0)

MATOS, TAYNARA SIMAO; ZANDONADI, FLAVIA DA SILVA; SILVA, ALEX APARECIDO ROSINI; SOARES, STEPHANIE DIAS; LIMA, ADRIANA DE SOUZA; PASTORE, GLAUCIA MARIA; PORCARI, ANDREIA DE MELO; SUSSULINI, ALESSANDRA. Differentiation of Ayahuasca Samples According to Preparation Mode and Botanical Varieties Using Metabolomics. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGS, v. N/A, p. 10-pg., 2024-10-31. (14/50867-3, 23/01800-2)

RIBEIRO, HENRIQUE CARACHO; ZANDONADI, FLAVIA DA SILVA; SUSSULINI, ALESSANDRA. An overview of metabolomic and proteomic profiling in bipolar disorder and its clinical value. EXPERT REVIEW OF PROTEOMICS, v. 20, n. 11, p. 14-pg., 2023-10-18. (14/50867-3, 23/01800-2)

OLIVEIRA, LUAN FELIPE CAMPOS; PEREIRA, THALES FERNANDO DIAS; SAWAYA, ALEXANDRA CHRISTINE HELENA FRANKLAND; SUSSULINI, ALESSANDRA. Sustainable food metabolome: Discrimination of agroecological, organic, and conventional pinto beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) through the volatile organic compounds profile. Microchemical Journal, v. 200, p. 8-pg., 2024-03-22. (14/50867-3, 23/01800-2)