- Department of Environmental Health Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, National Open University of Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria
- +2348123018018
- Public Health, Toxicology, Natural Medicine & Alternative Toxicology, Biology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, and 23 moreBioinformatics, Molecular Biology, Biodiversity, Genetics, Genomics, Pharmacology, Cancer Biology, Genetic Engineering, Proteomics, Molecular Biochemistry, Industrial Biotechnology, Medicinal Plants, Environmental Biotechnology, Plant biotechnology, Systems Biology, Environmental Toxicology, Molecular Genetics, Phytochemistry, Medical Biotechnology, Flavonoids, Antioxidants, Antidiabetic Medicinal Plants, and Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistryedit
Background: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection is associated with the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and secondarily cellular damage of varied severity. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) are currently the... more
Background: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection is associated with the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and secondarily cellular damage of varied severity. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) are currently the therapy of optimal considerations for HIV-infected patients. Aims: The present study was designed to assess the oxidative stress levels in people living with HIV/AIDS on HAART. Methods: A total of one hundred and twenty (120) patients attending the Jos University Teaching Hospital APIN Centre were recruited for the study following the inclusion criteria. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were evaluated in blood samples of recruited patients. Results: Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities increased in control patients with no significant difference (p<0.05) compared with HAART. However, significant increases (p>0.05) were observed in reduced glutathione (GSH) concentration of control patients compa...
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Edible mushrooms are popular functional foods attributed to their rich nutritional bioactive constituent profile influencing cardiovascular function. Edible mushrooms are omnipresent in various prescribed Dietary Approaches to Stop... more
Edible mushrooms are popular functional foods attributed to their rich nutritional bioactive constituent profile influencing cardiovascular function. Edible mushrooms are omnipresent in various prescribed Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, Mediterranean diet, and fortified meal plans as they are rich in amino acids, dietary fiber, proteins, sterols, vitamins, and minerals. However, without an understanding of the influence of mushroom bioactive constituents, mechanism of action on heart and allergenicity, it is difficult to fully comprehend the role of mushrooms as dietary interventions in alleviating hypertension and other cardiovascular malfunctions. To accomplish this endeavor, we chose to review edible mushrooms and their bioactive constituents in ameliorating hypertension. Hypertension and cardiovascular diseases are interrelated and if the former is managed by dietary changes, it is postulated that overall heart health could also be improved. With a concise note on diffe...
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Background Inhibition of papain-like protease (PLpro) and 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is projected to terminate its replication. Hence, these proteases represent... more
Background Inhibition of papain-like protease (PLpro) and 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is projected to terminate its replication. Hence, these proteases represent viable therapeutic targets. Methods Sixty-one flavonoids with reported activities against other RNA viruses were selected and docked in PLpro and 3CLpro. Flavonoids with better binding energies compared to reference inhibitors (lopinavir and ritonavir) in their interaction with PLpro and 3CLpro were selected for drug-likeness and ADMET analysis. The best representative flavonoid for each protease from the ADMET filtering analysis was subjected to molecular dynamics simulations (MDS) and clustering analysis of the trajectory files. Results Licorice, ugonin M, procyanidin, silymarin, and gallocatechin gallate had better binding energies (-11.8, -10.1, -9.8, -9.7 and -9.6 kcal/mol respectively) with PLpro compared to lopinavir and ritonavir (-9.1 and -8....
Research is a deliberate and systematic inquiry or investigation to establish a fact. Research could focus on any desired discipline like science, education, economy, administration, etc. Resources (e.g. humans, funds, equipment etc) are... more
Research is a deliberate and systematic inquiry or investigation to establish a fact. Research could focus on any desired discipline like science, education, economy, administration, etc. Resources (e.g. humans, funds, equipment etc) are essential in any research, especially impactful research. Research forms an essential part of development for interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary application of new technologies and procedures. Progress and comfort of human beings are due to success in research outcomes in the society. In the modern world, every sector, like medical, engineering, and basic sciences improves daily and has achieved new horizons because of support from research funding. For comprehensive research and its utility for better progress and output, proper funding is required. This article highlights various research funding opportunities, sources, agencies, and their significance. The fundamental objective is to create awareness through the global involvement of a collab...
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The treatment of parasitic diseases is multifaceted. The control methods require a complex interplay involving experts in public health, government policies, education, and medical sciences. Several strategies used in the treatment of... more
The treatment of parasitic diseases is multifaceted. The control methods require a complex interplay involving experts in public health, government policies, education, and medical sciences. Several strategies used in the treatment of parasitic diseases are considered and they are based on the availability, effectiveness, affordability, and acceptability of the used drug. Other measures include effective elimination of vector, and animal reservoirs. Interestingly, new strategies and approaches for the treatment of parasitic diseases involve nanomedical encapsulation of drugs and active compounds. Furthermore, genome, cells, and signal pathways targeting have been used for preventing and treating parasitic diseases. These approaches are used for diagnosis, and treatments of disease and to gain increased understanding of underlying disease mechanisms. Phytocompounds such as flavonoids and others are used in nanotherapeutics for treating parasitic diseases as they prevent oxidation of ...
Background Natural products are utilized globally for the management of diseases such as diabetes mellitus. Carrot seeds are ethnobotanically used in the management of diabetes mellitus. This study investigated the in vitro and in vivo... more
Background Natural products are utilized globally for the management of diseases such as diabetes mellitus. Carrot seeds are ethnobotanically used in the management of diabetes mellitus. This study investigated the in vitro and in vivo antihyperglycemic activities of verbenone and L-arginine, which are compounds found in carrot seed. Results Verbenone, L-arginine, and their ratios combination expressed significantly in vitro α-amylase inhibitory activity with IC50 of 13.00, 12.69, and 13.30 µg/mL respectively compared with acarbose (IC50 = 12.64 µg/mL) and significant in vitro α-glucosidases inhibitory activity with IC50 of 29.01, 23.76 and 30.11 µg/mL respectively compared with acarbose (IC50 = 16.80 µg/mL). Furthermore, the compounds improved glucose uptake in yeast cells and inhibited haemoglobin glycation in vitro. In the in vivo study, the compounds significantly reduced the levels of blood glucose, the levels of liver total cholesterol, and liver triacylglycerol, the calculate...
Abstract Lycopene is a phytochemical that is present at high concentration in fruits and vegetables such as tomato, guava, watermelon, spinach, carrot, beetroot, and red grapefruit. Lycopene, just like some members of the carotenoids... more
Abstract Lycopene is a phytochemical that is present at high concentration in fruits and vegetables such as tomato, guava, watermelon, spinach, carrot, beetroot, and red grapefruit. Lycopene, just like some members of the carotenoids family, has proven to be of high medicinal, scientific, pharmaceutical, and commercial value. These features of lycopene can be attributed to its chemical structure that has been proved to be responsible for its antioxidant properties. The conjugated polyene chains are responsible for its unstable and electrophilic attacks against free radicals because this double π electron system reduces the energy requirement for the oxidation of electrons in each double bond. This reactivity contributes to the efficacy of lycopene as the basis of its antioxidant activity in biological systems and its efficacy as a chemopreventive. This chapter presents this in details while emphasizing more on the therapeutic importance of lycopene.
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Soya bean is a staple food with great nutritional value. In this study, the effect of aqueous soya bean extract was carried out in Alloxan induced diabetic rats for 7days. The phytochemical screening indicated the presence of alkaloids,... more
Soya bean is a staple food with great nutritional value. In this study, the effect of aqueous soya bean extract was carried out in Alloxan induced diabetic rats for 7days. The phytochemical screening indicated the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, cardiac glycosides, terpenes, steroids, phenols and resins. Diabetic rats exhibited high blood glucose, cholesterol, Triglycerol (TG) and Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) while High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) wasvery low. The continuous administration of extract at150 mg/kg b.wt. for 7days significantly (P˂0.05) reverse these effects on cholesterol, TG, HDL and LDL while a similar result was also observe for metformin (14.2 mg/kg b.wt) treated group. The extract had no significant effect (P˃0.05) on serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) while serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was significantly increasing (P˂0.05) when compared to the control. Although the extract could not significantly lower...
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Several phytomedicine have been reported to possess antidiabetic and hypoglycaemic potentials. However, their relative activities are not being looked into. The aim of this study was to determine the hypoglycaemic effects and compare some... more
Several phytomedicine have been reported to possess antidiabetic and hypoglycaemic potentials. However, their relative activities are not being looked into. The aim of this study was to determine the hypoglycaemic effects and compare some biochemical parameters of aqueous extracts of four plants; Anacardium occidentale stem bark (CS), Moringa oleifera (ML), Vernonia amygdalina (BL) and Helianthus annuus seeds (SF) on alloxan induced diabetic rats. The preliminary phytochemical screening reveals the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponins, cardiac glycosides, terpenes, steroids, phenol and resins in all extracts. Diabetic was induced by interperitonial injection of alloxan monohydrate while treatment was done for 14 days. Significant reduction (p<0.05) was recorded in glucose level of the alloxan induced diabetic rats treated with CS, ML, BL and SF, expressing their hypoglycaemic potentials and competing favourably with the reference drug metformin.Treatment of experimental rats ...
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The plant kingdom provides several options for alternative treatment of diseases. Several phytoconstituents from plant origin have been extensively studied and developed into drugs which are widely accepted. The Lamiaceae is a family of... more
The plant kingdom provides several options for alternative treatment of diseases. Several phytoconstituents from plant origin have been extensively studied and developed into drugs which are widely accepted. The Lamiaceae is a family of plant frequently cited for their antidiabetic and hypoglycemic properties. They contain biologically active compounds. Here, the current status of antidiabetic and hypoglycemic plants, phytochemicals and active principles of the Lamiaceae are discussed.
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Nanoparticles are of great importance in development and research because of their application in industries and biomedicine. The development of nanoparticles requires proper knowledge of their fabrication, interaction, release,... more
Nanoparticles are of great importance in development and research because of their application in industries and biomedicine. The development of nanoparticles requires proper knowledge of their fabrication, interaction, release, distribution, target, compatibility, and functions. This review presents a comprehensive update on nanoparticles’ toxic effects, the factors underlying their toxicity, and the mechanisms by which toxicity is induced. Recent studies have found that nanoparticles may cause serious health effects when exposed to the body through ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact without caution. The extent to which toxicity is induced depends on some properties, including the nature and size of the nanoparticle, the surface area, shape, aspect ratio, surface coating, crystallinity, dissolution, and agglomeration. In all, the general mechanisms by which it causes toxicity lie on its capability to initiate the formation of reactive species, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and n...
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Background: Hyperlipidemia is a predisposing factor to several cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, heart attacks and others. Aim: This study investigate the hypolipidemic properties of five selected... more
Background: Hyperlipidemia is a predisposing factor to several cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, heart attacks and others. Aim: This study investigate the hypolipidemic properties of five selected fruits using rats pre-fed with High Lipid Diet (HLD) under experimental conditions. Methods: Raw fruit juices from Guava (Psidium guajava), Pawpaw (Carica papaya), Banana (Musa acuminata), Apple (Pyrus malus) and Pineapple (Ananas comosus) respectively, were administered orally at a dose of 7 ml/kg body weight for 14 days. Sera from the experimental rats were prepared for total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) and Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) assay, while Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL) and Atherogenic Index (AI) were computed. Results: Feeding the experimental rats with High Lipid Diet increased their levels of TC, TG, LDL, VLDL and AI by 68.73%, 72.94%, 20.23%, 71.79% and 208.72% respectively with a correspo...
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Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder which result from either absolute or relative insulin deficiency and may lead to dysfunction in some organ systems. Pancreatic α- glucosidase and α- amylase inhibition are an effective... more
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder which result from either absolute or relative insulin deficiency and may lead to dysfunction in some organ systems. Pancreatic α- glucosidase and α- amylase inhibition are an effective strategy to decrease levels of postprandial hyperglycemia through starch control breakdown. The aim of the study is to assess the in vitro antidiabetic activities of fractions from Daucus carota seed extract, a plant used traditionally for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. The aqueous extract (AQE) of Daucus carota seed was partitioned in ethyl acetate (EAE), n – hexane (HEX) and diethyl ether (DEE) to obtain the various fractions. The AQE and EAE expressed significant α – amylase inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 637.0±18.6 μg/mL and 603.0±25.8 μg/mL respectively. AQE, EAE, HEX and DEE expressed α – glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC50 value of 135.85±1.21, 147.59±0.57, 132.64±1.17, and 143.56±0.49 μg/mL respective compared with acarbose (AC...
Diarrhea is a common health complaint occurring with mild, temporary conditions to a potentially life-threatening condition. Cucurbita maxima (Cucurbitaceae) seed is reportedly used traditionally for the treatment of diarrheal and thus... more
Diarrhea is a common health complaint occurring with mild, temporary conditions to a potentially life-threatening condition. Cucurbita maxima (Cucurbitaceae) seed is reportedly used traditionally for the treatment of diarrheal and thus this study aimed to evaluate the in vitro antioxidants, total tannins, phenolics contents, and antidiarrheal potentials of n-hexane and aqueous C. maxima seed extracts in castor oil induced diarrheal rats. The n-hexane extract mainly contains oils while the aqueous extract was thick, brown solid. The aqueous and n-hexane seed extract of C. maxima expressed significant 2,2, diphenyl-1-picrythdrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activities at 6.25 – 1000 mg/mL with IC50 values of 104.01 mg/mL, 29.27 mg/mL and 26.78 mg/mL for n-hexane, aqueous and vitamin C respectively. The hydroxyl radical scavenging activities of the n-hexane and aqueous seed extract of C. maxima were significantly lower at higher concentrations compared with that of vitamin C. Furthermore, the t...
This chapter presents homemade preparations of natural pesticides which could be utilized by farmers for prevention of pest attacks or as first remedy for the treatment and management of agricultural pests and diseases. These preparations... more
This chapter presents homemade preparations of natural pesticides which could be utilized by farmers for prevention of pest attacks or as first remedy for the treatment and management of agricultural pests and diseases. These preparations could be made from established medicinal plants via indigenous knowledge technology. This chapter also presents supporting information via scientific experiments about the possible mechanisms of action. The methods of application to enhance their effective use for safe pest and disease control were also discussed.
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This chapter presents recent studies on the health benefits of isoflavones from the flowering plants of the Leguminosae family- Fabaceae, which are commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family. Notable agricultural and food plants in... more
This chapter presents recent studies on the health benefits of isoflavones from the flowering plants of the Leguminosae family- Fabaceae, which are commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family. Notable agricultural and food plants in this family are Glycine max (soybean), Phaseolus (beans), Pisum sativum (pea), Medicago sativa (alfalfa), Arachis hypogaea (peanut), Ceratonia siliqua (carob), and Glycyrrhiza glabra (liquorice). It was established from literary sources that extracts from these plants, including the invasive species contains important isoflavones. Prominent among the isoflavones biologically active aglycones: genistein, daidzein, and glycitein. Other isoflavones are ononin and sissotrin, with their aglycones, formononetin and biochanin A respectively. These compounds have been described to be active against some life-threatening diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases among others.
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Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder which result from either absolute or relative insulin deficiency and may lead to dysfunction in some organ systems. Pancreatic α- glucosidase and α- amylase inhibition are an effective... more
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder which result from either absolute or relative insulin deficiency and may lead to dysfunction in some organ systems. Pancreatic α- glucosidase and α- amylase inhibition are an effective strategy to decrease levels of postprandial hyperglycemia through starch control breakdown. The aim of the study is to assess the in vitro antidiabetic activities of fractions from Daucus carota seed extract, a plant used traditionally for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. The aqueous extract (AQE) of Daucus carota seed was partitioned in ethyl acetate (EAE), n – hexane (HEX) and diethyl ether (DEE) to obtain the various fractions. The AQE and EAE expressed significant α – amylase inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 637.0±18.6 μg/mL and 603.0±25.8 μg/mL respectively. AQE, EAE, HEX and DEE expressed α – glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC50 value of 135.85±1.21, 147.59±0.57, 132.64±1.17, and 143.56±0.49 μg/mL respective compared with acarbose (AC...
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Abstract: Piper guineese (Piperaceae) seed are locally used after childbirth to facilitate the removal of clotted blood. The present study evaluated the in vitro antioxidants, membrane stability, thrombolytic and erythrocytes protective... more
Abstract: Piper guineese (Piperaceae) seed are locally used after childbirth to facilitate the removal of clotted blood. The present study evaluated the in vitro antioxidants, membrane stability, thrombolytic and erythrocytes protective activities of piper guineense (Ashanti) seed extract. 100 g of Piper guineese seed was pulverized and dissolved in 500 ml of distilled water for 24 hours. The extract obtained was concentrated using a rotary evaporator. The IC50 for 2,2- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging activities of the seed and utylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) were 2.82 and 1.39 mg/ml. Furthermore, IC50 for total antioxidant capacity and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activities of the seed and BHT were 2.63, 1.28 mg/ml and 2.13 and 1.61 mg/ml respectively. The IC50 values for hydroxyl radical scavenging activities and nitric oxide reducing power were 3.145, 1.75 mg/ml and 7.37, 2.32 mg/ml respectively. However, no significant difference were found in ferric ion reducing properties of the extract and BHT with IC50 values of 2.06 and 2.53 mg/ml respectively. The extract expresses 38.94±4.89% erythrocyte lysis activities at a concentration of 100 µg/ml. Thrombolytic activity of the seed (10.08%) was comparable to BHT (11.43%) and lower compared with acetylsalicylic acid (94.05%) and streptokinase (67.10%). The extract significantly (p&lt;0.05) inhibited (29.58%) hypotonic solution-induced erythrocyte membrane lysis when compared to BHT (38.859%) and NaCl control (100%) respectively. The highest erythrocytes protection of the extract was 36.24% compared with Phosphate Buffer Saline (66.94%) and BHT (47.76%). The study demonstrated the in vitro antioxidant properties and erythrocyte protective activities of aqueous extracts of Piper guineese seeds. Keywords: Antioxidants; Ashanti; Black pepper; Erythrocytes; Piper guineese; Seed
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This chapter addresses the problems of food safety through the prism of pesticide residues in food. Attention was drawn to the existence of strong relationships between pesticide exposure and the incidence of leukemia, prostate, lung... more
This chapter addresses the problems of food safety through the prism of pesticide residues in food. Attention was drawn to the existence of strong relationships between pesticide exposure and the incidence of leukemia, prostate, lung cancers, and neurodegenerative diseases. Currently, there are calls for the prohibition of carcinogens, mutagens, toxic substances, especially endocrine disrupters, as pesticides and the recommendation of biopesticide applications, which break down quite quickly and do not persist in the environment. It was emphasized that their use in plant protection can lead to many positive changes, such as reduction of pesticide residues in food, and thus reduction of risk for consumers. The current legal requirements for assessing the risk of combined exposure to chemical substances were also reviewed. The aim was to identify regulatory needs and approaches to risk assessment, as well as the challenges associated with the implementation of appropriate, harmonized ...
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Dietary supplements are products aimed at improving the health status and wellness of an individual, which can be taken during meal or at specific intervals to supplement the individual daily diet. Supplements are required when there is... more
Dietary supplements are products aimed at improving the health status and wellness of an individual, which can be taken during meal or at specific intervals to supplement the individual daily diet. Supplements are required when there is an imbalance in nutrient or absence of a particular nutrient. Global market for nutrition and supplements stood at over US$104 billion as at 2013, with global mineral supplement market increasing with demands across growing geriatric populations, pregnant women and the rising urban population. The high demand may result in consumer’s exposure to health risk due to excessive consumption of dietary supplements. Classes of dietary supplements include vitamins, minerals, proteins, multivitamins, multiminerals, herbs, carbohydrates, hormone activators, and oil supplements.
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Aqueous extract of Phaseolus Vulgaris L. (Red Kidney Beans) was investigated for its effects in alloxan induced-diabetic rats. Twenty four albino rats were randomly allocated into four groups (A-D) of six rats each such that group A... more
Aqueous extract of Phaseolus Vulgaris L. (Red Kidney Beans) was investigated for its effects in alloxan induced-diabetic rats. Twenty four albino rats were randomly allocated into four groups (A-D) of six rats each such that group A (diabetes control) received 0.5 mL distilled water, group B (diabetes) received 400 mg/kg bwt of extract, group C (normal control) received 0.5 mL of distilled water while group D (normal) received 400 mg/kg bwt of extract, all extract were orally administered once daily for 14 days. Diabetes was induced in groups A&B by single interperitonial injection of 150 mg/kg alloxan monohydrate. Phytochemical screening indicated the presence of alkaloids, balsam, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, cyanogenic glycosides, terpenes and steroids. The hypoglyceamic potential of Phasoelus vulgaris L. was expressed in diabetes treated rats. Blood glucose, total protein, albumin and cholesterol levels of the diabetes treated rats and normal treated rats were not significantl...
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Carotenoids are hydrocarbon compound consisting of conjugated double bond system responsible for the red to pink colors found in seeds, fruits and vegetables. Carotenoids are classified into two groups based on the presence or absence of... more
Carotenoids are hydrocarbon compound consisting of conjugated double bond system responsible for the red to pink colors found in seeds, fruits and vegetables. Carotenoids are classified into two groups based on the presence or absence of oxygen molecule in their basic structure. They are widely distributed in nature. Their synthesis are via geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate through phytoene, followed by dehydrogenation, desaturation, cyclization, hydroxylation, epoxidation and oxidation. The unique chemical structure of carotenoids has contributed to several of their specific pharmacological activities including anti-aging, anticancer, anti-diabetics, immune modulating, anti-obesity, antioxidants, pro-vitamin, osteo-protective, cardio-protective and hepatoprotective properties. Several health benefits of carotenoids have prompted their inclusion in food and drinks to serve as nutraceutics and nutritional supplements.
Polyphenols are polyhydroxyphenols, with structural class of compounds that are mostly composed of compounds that exist naturally. They maybe sometimes synthesized or semi synthetic in nature. Polyphenols have the characteristics of... more
Polyphenols are polyhydroxyphenols, with structural class of compounds that are mostly composed of compounds that exist naturally. They maybe sometimes synthesized or semi synthetic in nature. Polyphenols have the characteristics of multiple phenolic structural units in them, hence, the name polyphenols. They are classified into phenolics, stilbenes, flavonoids, tannins and lignins. Polyphenols are mostly of plant origin and they are among the most widely studied class of phytochemicals. These natural phytochemicals are readily available in the entire plant kingdom and therefore found in the human diet through various fruits, beverages, food and foodstuff. Polyphenols have high nutraceutical values and are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial compounds, with skin protection, blood pressure reduction, cardioprotective and anticancer properties.
The emergence of 2019 novel Coronavirus (COVID-19 or 2019-nCoV) has caused significant global morbidity and mortality with no consensus specific treatment. We tested the hypothesis that FDA-approved antiretrovirals, antibiotics, and... more
The emergence of 2019 novel Coronavirus (COVID-19 or 2019-nCoV) has caused significant global morbidity and mortality with no consensus specific treatment. We tested the hypothesis that FDA-approved antiretrovirals, antibiotics, and antimalarials will effectively inhibit COVID-19 two major drug targets, coronavirus nucleocapsid protein (NP) and hemagglutinin-esterase (HE). To test this hypothesis, we carried out a phylogenic analysis of coronavirus genome to understand the origins of NP and HE, and also modeled the proteins before molecular docking, druglikeness, toxicity assessment, molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) and ligand-based pharmacophore modeling of the selected FDA-approved drugs. Our models for NP and HE had over 95% identity with templates 5EPW and 3CL5 respectively in the PDB database, with majority of the amino acids occupying acceptable regions. The active sites of the proteins contained conserved residues that were involved in ligand binding. Lopinavir and ritonav...
The plant kingdom provides several options for alternative treatment of diseases. Several phytoconstituents from plant origin have been extensively studied and developed into drugs which are widely accepted. The Lamiaceae is a family of... more
The plant kingdom provides several options for alternative treatment of diseases. Several phytoconstituents from plant origin have been extensively studied and developed into drugs which are widely accepted. The Lamiaceae is a family of plant frequently cited for their antidiabetic and hypoglycemic properties. They contain biologically active compounds. Here, the current status of antidiabetic and hypoglycemic plants, phytochemicals and active principles of the Lamiaceae are discussed.
https://www.morebooks.de/store/gb/book/current-status-of-antidiabetic-plants-in-the-lamiaceae-family/isbn/978-3-330-86902-8
https://www.morebooks.de/store/gb/book/current-status-of-antidiabetic-plants-in-the-lamiaceae-family/isbn/978-3-330-86902-8
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Lycopene is a phytochemical that is present at high concentration in fruits and vegetables such as tomato, guava, watermelon, spinach, carrot, beetroot, and red grapefruit. Lycopene, just like some members of the carotenoids family, has... more
Lycopene is a phytochemical that is present at high concentration in fruits and vegetables such as tomato, guava, watermelon, spinach, carrot, beetroot, and red grapefruit. Lycopene, just like some members of the carotenoids family, has proven to be of high medicinal, scientific, pharmaceutical, and commercial value. These features of lycopene can be attributed to its chemical structure that has been proved to be responsible for its antioxidant properties. The conjugated polyene chains are responsible for its unstable and electrophilic attacks against free radicals because this double π electron system reduces the energy requirement for the oxidation of electrons in each double bond. This reactivity contributes to the efficacy of lycopene as the basis of its antioxidant activity in biological systems and its efficacy as a chemopreventive. This chapter presents this in details while emphasizing more on the therapeutic importance of lycopene.
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Abstract: Piper guineese (Piperaceae) seed are locally used after childbirth to facilitate the removal of clotted blood. The present study evaluated the in vitro antioxidants, membrane stability, thrombolytic and erythrocytes... more
Abstract:
Piper guineese (Piperaceae) seed are locally used after childbirth to facilitate the removal of
clotted blood. The present study evaluated the in vitro antioxidants, membrane stability,
thrombolytic and erythrocytes protective activities of piper guineense (Ashanti) seed extract.
100 g of Piper guineese seed was pulverized and dissolved in 500 ml of distilled water for 24
hours. The extract obtained was concentrated using a rotary evaporator. The IC50 for 2,2-
diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging activities of the seed and utylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
were 2.82 and 1.39 mg/ml. Furthermore, IC50 for total antioxidant capacity and hydrogen
peroxide scavenging activities of the seed and BHT were 2.63, 1.28 mg/ml and 2.13 and 1.61
mg/ml respectively. The IC50 values for hydroxyl radical scavenging activities and nitric oxide
reducing power were 3.145, 1.75 mg/ml and 7.37, 2.32 mg/ml respectively. However, no
significant difference were found in ferric ion reducing properties of the extract and BHT with
IC50 values of 2.06 and 2.53 mg/ml respectively. The extract expresses 38.94±4.89%
erythrocyte lysis activities at a concentration of 100 µg/ml. Thrombolytic activity of the seed
(10.08%) was comparable to BHT (11.43%) and lower compared with acetylsalicylic acid
(94.05%) and streptokinase (67.10%). The extract significantly (p<0.05) inhibited (29.58%)
hypotonic solution-induced erythrocyte membrane lysis when compared to BHT (38.859%)
and NaCl control (100%) respectively. The highest erythrocytes protection of the extract was
36.24% compared with Phosphate Buffer Saline (66.94%) and BHT (47.76%). The study
demonstrated the in vitro antioxidant properties and erythrocyte protective activities of
aqueous extracts of Piper guineese seeds.
Keywords: Antioxidants; Ashanti; Black pepper; Erythrocytes; Piper guineese; Seed
Piper guineese (Piperaceae) seed are locally used after childbirth to facilitate the removal of
clotted blood. The present study evaluated the in vitro antioxidants, membrane stability,
thrombolytic and erythrocytes protective activities of piper guineense (Ashanti) seed extract.
100 g of Piper guineese seed was pulverized and dissolved in 500 ml of distilled water for 24
hours. The extract obtained was concentrated using a rotary evaporator. The IC50 for 2,2-
diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging activities of the seed and utylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
were 2.82 and 1.39 mg/ml. Furthermore, IC50 for total antioxidant capacity and hydrogen
peroxide scavenging activities of the seed and BHT were 2.63, 1.28 mg/ml and 2.13 and 1.61
mg/ml respectively. The IC50 values for hydroxyl radical scavenging activities and nitric oxide
reducing power were 3.145, 1.75 mg/ml and 7.37, 2.32 mg/ml respectively. However, no
significant difference were found in ferric ion reducing properties of the extract and BHT with
IC50 values of 2.06 and 2.53 mg/ml respectively. The extract expresses 38.94±4.89%
erythrocyte lysis activities at a concentration of 100 µg/ml. Thrombolytic activity of the seed
(10.08%) was comparable to BHT (11.43%) and lower compared with acetylsalicylic acid
(94.05%) and streptokinase (67.10%). The extract significantly (p<0.05) inhibited (29.58%)
hypotonic solution-induced erythrocyte membrane lysis when compared to BHT (38.859%)
and NaCl control (100%) respectively. The highest erythrocytes protection of the extract was
36.24% compared with Phosphate Buffer Saline (66.94%) and BHT (47.76%). The study
demonstrated the in vitro antioxidant properties and erythrocyte protective activities of
aqueous extracts of Piper guineese seeds.
Keywords: Antioxidants; Ashanti; Black pepper; Erythrocytes; Piper guineese; Seed