Effect of exposure to Ilex paraguariensis on copper-induced neurotoxicity in adult zebrafish.

• Grant number: 25/13312-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: November 01, 2025
• End date: April 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Neuropsychopharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Fulvio Rieli Mendes
• Grantee: Mariana Esteves Felix Penha
• Supervisor: Giovanna Paolone
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Università degli Studi di Verona, Italy
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/09127-8 - Behavioral and biochemical evaluation of the effects of Ilex paraguariensis on the embryolarval stage of zebrafish under neuroinflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide., BP.MS

Abstract

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. However, its potential protective effects against heavy metal-induced neurotoxicity remain poorly explored, particularly in alternative animal models. This study aims to analyze the effects of yerba mate in a model of neurotoxicity by copper in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) followed by behavioral and ex vivo biochemical tests, seeking to contribute to the understanding of the neuroprotective mechanisms of Ilex paraguariensis and its potential application in mitigating neurological damage. (AU)