Neuroprotective activity of migalin, a neuro active compound synthesized from hemolymph of the spider Acanthoscurria gomesiana, in a glaucoma experimental model, by acute ocular hypertension in Wistar rats

• Grant number: 15/15261-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2015
• End date: September 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Neuropsychopharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Wagner Ferreira dos Santos
• Grantee: Marcus Vinicius Batista Celani
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The acute and chronic neurodegenerative diseases are considered serious public health problems in the world. For example, open angle glaucoma is a major cause of human blindness. Nevertheless, current therapies are ineffective for neuroprotection. Therefore, the study of new drugs with neuroprotective potential is required, which can help understand changes due to injury as well as serving as model for new drugs in the control of many neuropathologies such as epilepsy, glaucoma, Alzheimer's, etc. Together the fact that Brazil has an important biodiversity in natural compounds and literature has shown that many single molecules of plants, poisons and venoms are useful tools in Biology, it is important evaluate this kind of compounds. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that migalin isolated from A. gomesiana spider hemolymph has neuroprotector properties. So, the present study aims to verify the activity of this polyamine to protect retina cells of Wistar rats subjected to acute retinal injury, like an open angle glaucoma. The animals will be subjected to increased intraocular pressure for 45 min (ischemic insult) and 15 min reperfusion. Viable cells stained with histochemistry techniques Hematoxilina-Eosina and Fluoro-Jade C will be evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively. (AU)