Characterization of anti -inflammatory and anticonvulsant capacity of plant extracts. Phase II

Epilepsy is a neurological disease that affects approximately 50 million people worldwide. In Ecuador approximately 300,000 inhabitants have presented a convulsive crisis being about 150,000 diagnosed as epileptics. The role of inflammation in the different phases of the epileptic process is being widely recognized in recent years, which makes inflammatory markers the therapeutic targets in epilepsy. This disease is a socially unresolved therapeutic problem, since existing drugs for treatment entail the appearance of many adverse reactions, which makes it difficult to follow up the treatment by the patient. The project presented, proposes to study the anti -inflammatory and antiepileptic properties of plant extracts obtained from plants that are used in popular medicine, as the first step so that in the future they can be used either as extracts in phytherapy or - in the longest term after the isolation of active principles - such as drugs to treat epilepsy. The general objective is to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity and the anticonvulsant effect of various plant extracts or fractions that have shown anticonvulsant activity in zebra fish, using inflammatory and pro-convulsive models in rodent mammals. In order to carry out this research, the specific objectives are: i) Implement a bioterium for the maintenance of rodents (carried out); I) establish the necessary methodology for the study of anti -inflammatory and anticonvulsant activity in the biological mouse model (performed); Iii) Analyze the anti -inflammatory capacity "in vivo" and "in vitro" of plant extracts object of study (performed). The present study proposes to continue the study with other plant extracts and implement techniques to be able to conduct studies at the cellular level, iv) study the anticonvulsant capacity "in vivo" of plant extracts.

PROMETEO PROGRAM - UNIVERSITY OF CUENCA