Resumen:
ackground: The brain is exposed to many excitotoxic insults that can lead to neuronal damage. Among these,Epilepsy is a neurological disease that affects a large percentage of world population and is commonly associatedwith cognitive disorders and excitotoxic neuronal death. Most experimental strategies are focused on preventingStatus Epilepticus (SE), but once it has already occurred, the key question is whether it is possible to save neurons.Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine if a purified alkaloid extract (AE) obtained from Phlegmariurussaururus, a genus of Lycophyte plants (sometimes known as firmossesor fir club mosses) could induce neuroprotectionfollowing SE.Methods: In vitro and in vivo techniques were applied for this purpose. Protein levels were measured by westernblotting procedures. Neuronal death analysis was performed by calcein-ethidium staining and the presence ofthe NeuN protein as a marker for presence or absence of cells (in vitro experiments) and by Fl