Behavioral and biochemical evaluation of the effects of Ilex paraguariensis on the embryolarval stage of zebrafish under neuroinflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide.

• Grant number: 24/09127-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: May 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Neuropsychopharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Fulvio Rieli Mendes
• Grantee: Mariana Esteves Felix Penha
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/12675-1 - Potential therapeutic action and mechanisms of action of adaptogenic plants in neurodegenerative diseases, AP.BTA.R

Abstract

The central nervous system plays a crucial role in coordinating the body's balance, however, natural aging or pathological processes can lead to the accumulation of metabolites contributing to neurodegenerative diseases, characterized mainly by inflammatory processes. In the ethnopharmacological context, yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) has emerged as a potential therapeutic intervention, supported by studies demonstrating antioxidant, neuroprotective and anxiolytic properties, as well as modulating some pathways related to inflammation in rodent models. This study aims to analyze the phytochemical properties of yerba mate through a comparison of preparation methods, investigate its toxicity in zebrafish embryos and evaluate its effects in a model of neuroinflammation by lipopolysaccharide in larvae followed by behavioral and biochemical tests, evaluating the effects popularly associated with yerba mate.