Protocols for research in psychopharmacology and medicinal plants

Study presents models that can be used to evaluate the appropriate drugs for pathologies of the nervous system.

By Fábio de Castro

Agência FAPESP – Psychopharmacology is the science that addresses the relationship between utilizing psychoactive substances and psychiatric changes. In addition to providing researchers in the area with a reference for planning and executing their studies – especially studies related to natural products – the book brings together the practical experiences of some of Brazil’s leading specialists in the area.

Protocols in Behavioral Psychopharmacology – A Guide for Research on Drugs Affecting the Central Nervous System, With Emphasis on Plants (Protocolos em Psicofarmacologia Comportamental – Um Guia para a Pesquisa de Drogas com Ação sobre o Sistema Nervoso Central, com Ênfase nas Plantas) was organized by Elisaldo de Araújo Carlini, a full professor of Psychopharmacology at Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), and Fúlvio Rieli Mendes, a researcher at the Brazilian Center for Information of Psychotropic Drugs (Cebrid) at Unifesp. The work was published with the support of FAPESP under the modality of Research Support – Publications.

According to Mendes, who is a professor of Pharmacology at Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC), the books brings together two veins of specialization among organizers: psychopharmacology and research on medicinal plants.

Carlini, one of Brazil’s main references on pharmacology, had been planning on bringing together these topics in a practical research guide since the 1980s. Three years ago, the two researchers decided that it was time to undertake the project, with the collaboration of specialists from several states in the country.

“Although there is a well-developed methodology for psychopharmacology and advanced knowledge for behavioral evaluation in animal models, there is not an accessible text in Portuguese that outlines this scenario describing each protocol and indicating the care that must be taken in experimental research,” comments Mendes to Agência FAPESP.

The work is split into two sections. The first, more general section has the objective of giving some orientation to those working with medicinal plants. “It offers criteria to select potential bioactive plants in Brazilian flora, guides the investigations of the chemical properties of plants and even addresses the development of synthetic psychoactive or natural drugs,” he explained.

Another part addresses the varied pathologies of the central nervous system, discussing the models that can be utilized to evaluate the appropriate drugs for these pathologies. In relation to depression, for example, the authors discussed which animal models are considered advantageous to evaluate anti-depressive drugs.  

The articles also address anxiolytic, analgesic, neuroleptic, anti-epileptic and neuroprotective drugs, among others. “Each chapter presents four to six models, discussing the variations and the care that researchers should consider in making correct interpretations of the data,” said Mendes.

The book is essentially rooted in the individual experience of the authors of each chapter. “Brazil stands out for research with medicinal plants because of the country’s rich biodiversity in addition to having strength in the neuroscience area. The book has the advantage of uniting the country’s excellence in these two areas,” he said.

Mendes stresses that this is not a teaching book but a book geared toward research. “The book’s target public is formed by researchers of all levels – from scientific initiation to graduate levels – in correlated areas, such as neuropsychopharmacology, neuroscience, psychotherapy, pharmacology and natural product chemistry,” he said.