Pharmacology of Chronic Diseases (CDPharma)
1. Development of in vitro blood-brain barrier models and study of factors involved in its disruption contributing to neurodegenerative diseases. Intracellular signaling mediated by cyclic nucleotides to the regulation of endothelial function at the vascular level.
2. Pharmacological evaluation of new chemical entities and repositioning drugs for neurodegenerative and cardiovascular disorders.
3. Phytochemistry and pharmacology of traditional medicinal plants. Exploration of natural resources for biologically active molecules that can be used in various therapeutical applications.
Líneas de investigación
A properly functioning BBB is crucial for maintaining healthy brain tissue. However, increased BBB permeability can result in the infiltration of toxins and immune cells into the central nervous system (CNS) which is associated with various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and Multiple Sclerosis. In the last decade, a large body of evidence has been presented to demonstrate that vascular alterations are involved in the pathogenesis of these diseases. We are developing different in vitro models of BBB to study changes in its structure and function under different conditions, such as inflammation, ischemia, or ischemia and reperfusion. Since NO, cGMP and cAMP are among the first molecules that are affected by these conditions, other of our aims is to determine the protective effects of drugs that act on the NO/cGMP and cAMP pathways on the function of BBB endothelial cells.
- Pharmacological evaluation of new molecules with potential interest in neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases. In the search for drugs with potential interest in neurodegenerative diseases, we carry out a target-based screening using enzymes involved in neurodegenerative diseases such as MAO, ChE, BACE, COX, as well as a phenotypic screening to determine the neuroprotective and neurogenic activity of the new compounds. In this regard, the compounds with the most promising in vitro activity are selected for further in vivo studies, including behavioral studies and pharmacokinetics which are performed in collaboration with other researchers from Faculty of Pharmacy (USC).
3. Study of the properties of existing drugs for a better understanding of their therapeutic properties, as well as for the search for new applications in the field of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. In this regard, our group aims to provide data that can serve as support for a better clinical use of the available drugs, as well as for the repositioning of existing drugs in new therapeutic indications.
- The plant kingdom plays an important role as a source of both medicines and food. Medicinal properties in plants often arise from the unique combinations of natural compounds they contain. As a result, our primary aim is to obtain extracts and essential oils from plants used in traditional medicine and test their bioactivity. We are collaborating with other research groups from the Faculty of Pharmacy (USC) to obtain formulations of extracts that are biologically active and can be incorporated in food supplements with health effects.
Furthermore, using bioactivity guided studies, other of our aims is the isolation and structural elucidation of biologically active compounds from plants used for both medicinal and nutritional purposes.
Miembros
Publicaciones seleccionadas
Phytochemical Analysis and Antiproliferative Activity of Ulex gallii Planch. (Fabaceae), a Medicinal Plant from Galicia (Spain)
8-Amide and 8-carbamate substitution patterns as modulators of 7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin's antidepressant profile: Synthesis, biological evaluation and docking studies.
Heterocycle-containing tranylcypromine derivatives endowed with high anti-LSD1 activity.
The gut microbiota-brain axis: a new frontier on neuropsychiatric disorders.
The treatment with the SGLT2 inhibitor empagliflozin modifies the hepatic metabolome of male Zucker diabetic fatty rats towards a protective profile.
cAMP Compartmentalization in Cerebrovascular Endothelial Cells: New Therapeutic Opportunities in Alzheimer's Disease.