HYPERI-FOOD: Functional Foods for Neuroprotection: a role for Hypericum perforatum

The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity and the modulation of neuronal proliferation and death in the adult brain, may include some of the mechanisms through which Hypericum perforatum (HP) extracts or compounds exert their neuroprotective effects. Additionally, our preliminary data indicates that HP ethanolic extract prevents stress-induced alterations in hippocampal neuronal plasticity, while a specific fraction of HP extract reduced β-amyloid-induced neuronal death. Therefore, this project aims to develop HP extract-derived fractions with the capacity to prevent stress-induced effects, to be used in functional foods. In order to achieve this main goal, the neuroprotective capacity and the mechanisms of action of the selected fractions will be studied.