Active Fraction of Tillandsia usneoides Induces Structural Neuroplasticity in Cortical Neuron Cultures from Wistar Rats

Abstract

Neuroplasticity refers to the nervous system’s ability to modify its structure and function in response to intrinsic and extrinsic stimuli. Impairments in this capacity are associated with various neurological disorders, underscoring the need for therapies that preserve or enhance neuronal plasticity. Medicinal plants offer a promising source of bioactive compounds with neuroplastic properties and neuroprotective potential. In this work, we report the chemical and neuroplastic properties of Tillandsia usneoides, a medicinal native plant from America. Ethanolic extracts (EtOH) of leaves and stems, along with subfractionated ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and hydroethanolic (H2O:EtOH) extracts, were analyzed using High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) and Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with a Diode Array Detector (UPLC-DAD), revealing the presence of 14 phenolic acids, 6 flavonoids, and triterpene. Additionally, functional analysis using Sholl analysis showed that the EtOAc fraction of Tillandsia usneoides significantly enhanced structural plasticity in vitro, increasing both dendritic branching and dendrite length at concentrations between 0.03 and 1 μg mL−1, likely through the activation PI3K/Akt and ERK1/2 signaling pathways. Together, our results suggest that Tillandsia usneoides contains bioactive polar metabolites capable of inducing neuronal structural plasticity.