Biological evaluation of natural products

The remarkable chemical diversity of natural products is often translated in a wide range of biological activities.

In the laboratory of Pharmacognosy we are interested in the mechanism of action of natural molecules in several biological activities, including:

Anticancer
Anti-inflammatory
Neuroprotection in several disease models, in particular Alzheimer’s

Patent:
Extracto aquoso da larva de Pieris brassicae e respectiva utilização como antioxidante.
Andrade, P. B.; Valentão, P.; Sousa, C.; Pereira, D. M.; Ferreres, F.
Portuguese Patente nº 103931.

Relevant publications:


• Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Unsaturated Fatty Acids and Ergosta-7,22-dien-3-ol from Marthasterias glacialis: Prevention of CHOP-Mediated ER-Stress and NF-κB Activation.
  David M Pereira, Georgina Correia-da-Silva, Patrícia Valentão,Natércia Teixeira, Paula B Andrade. Plos ONE
  9(2):e88341. 2014
  
  
• Modulation of basophils' degranulation and allergy-related enzymes by monomeric and dimeric naphthoquinones.
  Pinho, B.R.; Sousa, C.; Valentão, P.; Oliveira, J.M.A.; Andrade, P.B.
  PLoS ONE 9(2): e90122. 2014
  
  
• Palmitic acid and ergosta-7,22-dien-3-ol contribute to the apoptotic effect and cell cycle arrest of an extract from Marthasterias glacialis L. in neuroblastoma cells.
  Pereira, D.M.; Correia-da-Silva, G.; Valentão, P.; Teixeira, N.; Andrade, P.B.
  Mar. Drugs 12, 54-68. 2014
  
  
• Integrated analysis of COX-2 and iNOS derived inflammatory mediators in LPS-stimulated RAW macrophages pre-exposed to Echium plantagineum L. bee pollen extract.
  Moita, E.; Gil-Izquierdo, A.; Sousa, C.; Ferreres, F.; Silva, L.R.; Valentão, P.; Domínguez-Perles, R.; Baenas, N.; Andrade, P.B.
  PLoS ONE 8(3): e59131. 2013
  
  
• Antifungal activity of phlorotannins against dermatophytes and yeasts: approaches to the mechanism of action and influence on Candida albicans virulence factor.
  Lopes, G.; Pinto, E.; Andrade, P.B.; Valentão, P.
  PLoS ONE 8(8): e72203. 2013
  
  
• Is nitric oxide decrease observed with naphthoquinones in LPS stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages a beneficial property?
  Pinho, B.R.; Sousa, C.; Valentão, P.; Andrade, P.B.
  PLoS ONE 6(8): e24098. 2011