| Location within campus: | Biotechnology and Prototypes Unit (UBIPRO) |
| Head of Laboratory: | Dr. María Margarita Canales Martínez Full Professor “C” magacm@yahoo.com.mx dra.margaritacanales@gmail.com |
| Technicians affiliated to the laboratory: | Dr. Ana Bertha Hernández Hernández Technical Lead “B” ana.b.hdez@hotmail.com |
| Research lines per researcher: | Determination and evaluation of the medicinal and/or nutritional properties of plants, fungi, and animals used by rural communities. Extraction of natural pigments and their potential applications. |
The Pharmacognosy Laboratory, together with the Biomedical Research Laboratory on Natural Products, aims to scientifically validate the effectiveness of certain plants and natural products derived from them, which are part of traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases, including oncological conditions. This validation is carried out through a meticulous process of research, experimentation, and monitoring of side effects in order to verify the efficacy of using medicinal plants or natural products derived from them.
In the laboratory, different medicinal activities of the obtained extracts are evaluated, such as antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and wound healing activities in murine models with healthy and diabetic organisms. In order to elucidate the explanation for these medicinal properties, chemical analysis of the extracts is performed using state-of-the-art technology.
Nutraceutical properties, pigments from different plant species, and the botanical origin of honey and propolis are also studied.
Salas-Oropeza, J., Jimenez-Estrada, M., Perez-Torres, A., Castell-Rodriguez, A.E., Becerril-Millan, R., Rodriguez-Monroy, M.A., Canales-Martinez, M.M. (2020). Wound healing activity of the essential oil of Bursera morelensis, in mice. Molecules 25, doi:10.3390/molecules25081795.
Rodriguez-Canales, M., Martinez-Galero, E., Nava-Torres, A. D., Sanchez-Torres, L. E., Garduño-Siciliano, L., Canales-Martinez, M. M., Terrazas, L. I., & Rodriguez-Monroy, M. A. (2020). Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Activities of the Methanolic Extract of Cyrtocarpa procera Bark Reduces the Severity of Ulcerative Colitis in a Chemically Induced Colitis Model. Mediators of Inflammation, 2020, 1-11. doi:10.1155/2020/5062506
Martinez-Elizalde, K. S., Rodriguez-Monroy, M. A., Flores, C. M., Hernandez-Portilla, L. B., Barbosa-Cabrera, E., & Canales-Martinez, M. M. (2018). Comparison of Biological Properties of Two Medicinal Extracts of the Tehuacan-Cuicatlan Valley. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2018, 1-9. doi:10.1155/2018/4918090
Rivera-Yañez, C.R., Terrazas, L.I., Jimenez-Estrada, M., Campos, J.E., Flores-Ortiz, C.M., Hernandez, L.B., Cruz-Sanchez, T., Garrido-Fariña, G.I., Rodriguez-Monroy, M.A., Canales-Martinez, M.M. (2017). Anti-Candida Activity of Bursera morelensis Ramirez Essential Oil and Two Compounds, a-Pinene and g-Terpinene—An In Vitro Study. Molecules, 22 (2095). doi: 10.3390/molecules22122095.
Hernandez-Hernandez, A.B., Alarcon-Aguilar, F.J., Almanza-Perez, J.C. Nieto-Yañez, O., Olivares-Sanchez, J.M., Duran-Diaz, A., Rodriguez-Monroy, M.A., Canales-Martinez, M.M. (2017). Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities, wound-healing effectiveness and chemical characterization of the latex of Jatropha neopauciflora Pax. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 204, 1-7. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2017.04.003.
| Entry profile of potential thesis students: | Show genuine interest in science. Ability to find and understand the necessary literature to support and develop your research project. Understand the basic principles of the different techniques used in the laboratory. Ability to draw conclusions from your results. Ability to propose new experiments, always with a critical, enthusiastic, and hardworking attitude. Ability to work in a team. Disciplined. |
| Service Social Data: | Pharmacognosy and nutritional properties of plants, fungi, and animals used by rural communities, mainly in the states of Puebla, Oaxaca, and Mexico State. CODE: 2020-12/63-884. Activities to be carried out: a) Open and structured interviews with informants. For plant species, fungi, animals, and/or animal products: b) Collection c) Identification d) Scientific evaluation of nutritional properties e) Evaluation of medicinal properties |