To contribute to the reduction of parasitic diseases in sheep, the researcher Virginia Guadalupe García Rubio, from the Amecameca University Center of the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEMéx), carries out the project “Characterization of edible mushrooms cultivated in the Amecameca region to promote the use of its nutraceutical properties and in vitro evaluation of nematicidal potential in sheep parasites”, as part of the Women in Science stimulus, granted by the Mexican Council of Science and Technology (COMECyT).
Amecameca is a region characterized by its sheep production, animals that are prone to intestinal parasites, which represents one of the main difficulties for their sale and distribution. Faced with this problem, Virginia García, together with researchers from this university space, seeks to provide a solution through the Pleurotus spp fungus, better known as edible mushroom.
García Rubio explained that this species has nutraceutical properties, that is, it has nutrients with antiparasitic capacities such as proteins and the presence of riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3) and folate (B9) vitamins, as well as minerals such as calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Given these characteristics, the academic Virginia García seeks that farmers and sheep farmers benefit from their cultivation in Amecameca.
“In edible mushrooms, antimicrobial, anticholesterenic, insecticidal and antiparasitic medicinal properties have been identified. These properties would help to counteract intestinal parasites within the sheep”, he added.
The research is carried out in vitro to find evidence of the effect that the fungus has on this type of parasites, it is applied by exposing the mushroom with the parasites inside a container. If its effectiveness is verified, it might be applied directly to cattle, that is, alive.
The main legacy that the university researcher wishes to leave within science is to participate in the training of students. “I have managed to get several graduate students to enter the field of research,” she explained.
For Virginia García Rubio, being a scientist has meant seeing the development of women in this field and how they have gained ground within this field of research, even when few have access to this branch of knowledge. “I am proud of my achievements, thanks to the research that I have carried out and the collaboration networks that we have created over time,” she added.
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