Browsing by Author "Alfred, Francis Attah"
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Item Antimalarial plants with potential male-factor antifertility properties(De Gruyter, 2019-09-17) Kayode, Ezekiel Adewole; Alfred, Francis AttahMalaria, caused mainly by Plasmodium falciparum among other Plasmodium species, is one of the main causes of death from parasitic diseases. Malaria is still a health problem mainly because of the cost of effective antimalarial drugs and the growing parasite resistance to conventional antimalarial drugs, making a great proportion of the people in malaria endemic countries dependent on plants for its treatment. Corollary, a large number of the rural populations consume antimalarial herbal preparations in large or excessive quantities despite the fact that it has been reported that some of them could cause male-factor infertility, a growing global health concern. Few studies have compiled information on the scientifically validated male-factor antifertility effects of these antimalarial plant remedies. The aim of this review therefore is to compile information on commonly used antimalarial plant remedies that have been experimentally validated as having male-factor antifertility effects. Thus, antimalarial plant remedies with experimentally confirmed male-factor antifertility potentials and compounds isolated from them are identified and discussed. The male-factor antifertility effects of these plants include reduction of sperm quality, regulation of reproductive hormone levels and induction of lipid peroxidation. Indiscriminate use of such antimalarial plants is discouraged when male contraception is not desired.Item Exploring phytotherapeutic approach in the management of valproic acid-induced toxicity(Online: Advances in Traditional Medicine, 2021-05-26) Kayode, Ezekiel Adewole; Alfred, Francis Attah; Sharon, Oluchi OsaweThe antiepileptic drug, valproic acid (VPA), also used for treating psychiatric disorders, is hampered by its toxicity. Its associated adverse effects include hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, central nervous system (CNS) depression, respiratory failure, acute pancreatitis, thrombocytopenia, hyperammonaemia, bone marrow suppression, and teratogenicity. Currently, no antidotes exist for treating VPA toxicity and therapeutic management is majorly supportive while modifying drug disposition. The lack of effective treatment has prompted evaluating plant-derived products to manage this challenge since studies show their protective potential against drug-induced toxicities. This review investigates purported mechanisms and the protective capacity of plants products against VPA-induced toxicity. The compiled studies revealed that VPA causes hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, ocular toxicity, teratogenicity and reproductive toxicity among others. Further findings highlighted the oxido-inflammatory and apoptotic pathway as crucial mechanisms of VPA-induced organ toxicities. Extracts of Apium graveolens L., Bacopa monniera, Green tea, Kaempferia parviflora, Korean red ginseng, Ocimum sanctum, Oryza sativa, Withania somnifera and plant-derived compounds, including diammonium glycyrrhizinate, sulforaphane, vitamin U, B6, E, diallyl trisulfide, curcumin, α-tocopherol, quercetin, piperine, resveratrol, hesperitin, thymoquinone, caffeic acid and asiatic acid exhibited protection against VPA-induced toxicities. From these observations, it is suggested that further studies should target evaluating more plant products as well as identifying and isolating specific compounds from such, and others demonstrating protective effect against toxicities induced by VPA.Item Hypoglycaemic and Antioxidative Properties of Freeze-Dried Garcinia Kola Seeds in Type 2 Diabetics and Non-Diabetics with Chronic Foot/Leg Ulcer in Ibadan, Nigeria: A case-control clinical study(African Journal of Health Sciences, 2021-05) Elizabeth, Bosede Bolajoko; Augustine, Anayochukwu Onyeaghala; Olubayo, Michael Akinosun; Alfred, Francis Attah; Olufemi, Joseph Adewumi; Adefunke, Temiloa Adeoti; Ayodele, Olukayode Iyun; Adesoji, Adedipe Fasanmade; Jones, Olanrewaju Moody; Aye, Aye KhineINTRODUCTION The antidiabetic and antioxidative properties of Garcinia kola (GK) seed extracts have been well documented in animal studies; however, data on freeze-dried powder of GK seeds (FDGK) in humans are scarce. This study investigated the effect of 8-weeks supplementation of FDGK on glycaemic control and oxidative stress levels in Type 2 diabetics with or without foot/leg ulcer and compared with nondiabetics with or without chronic foot/leg ulcer in Ibadan, Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirty diabetics with foot/leg ulcer (DFU), 30 diabetics without ulcer (T2DM), 30 non-diabetics with chronic foot/leg ulcer (NDCU) and 30 non-diabetics without ulcer (NDC) were divided into: subgroup-1 (250mgGK); subgroup-2 (500mgGK); subgroup-3 (No-supplementation). Plasma glucose (FPG), glycated haemoglobin-A1c (HbA1c), total plasma peroxides (TPP), total antioxidant status (TAS), oxidative stress index (OSI), antioxidant-micronutrients were determined in fasting blood samples. Wounds were clinically assessed and rated using modified ABDEFS. RESULTS All participants supplemented with 250mgGK or 500mgGK for 8 weeks showed decreases in TPP and OSI with improvement in wound healing, increases in TAS and antioxidant-micronutrients (p<0.05). In addition, significant decreases in FPG were observed in DFU and T2DM supplemented with 250mgGK, and also in NDC supplemented with 500mgGK. In non-supplemented subgroups, increases in TPP and OSI with decreases in TAS and antioxidant-micronutrients (p<0.05) were observed. CONCLUSION Supplementation with Garcinia kola could be used as an adjunct for prevention and treatment of diabetes mellitus complicated with or without foot/leg ulcer RECOMMENDATIONS Caution must be taken when used as prophylactic in non-diabetics to prevent occurrence of hypoglycaemia.Item Therapeutic Potentials of Antiviral Plants Used in Traditional African Medicine With COVID-19 in Focus: A Nigerian Perspective(Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2021-04-26) Alfred, Francis Attah; Adeshola, Adebayo Fagbemi; Olujide, Olubiyi; Hannah, Dada-Adegbola; Akinseinde, Oluwadotun; Anthony, Elujoba; Chinedum, Peace BabalolaThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by an infectious novel strain of coronavirus known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) which was earlier referred to as 2019-nCoV. The espiratory disease is the most consequential global public health crisis of the 21st century whose level of negative impact increasingly experienced globally has not been recorded since World War II. Up till now, there has been no specific globally authorized antiviral drug, vaccines, supplement or herbal remedy available for the treatment of this lethal disease except preventive measures, supportive care and non-specific treatment options adopted in different countries via divergent approaches to halt the pandemic. However, many of these interventions have been documented to show some level of success particularly the Traditional Chinese Medicine while there is paucity of well reported studies on the impact of the widely embraced Traditional African Medicines (TAM) adopted so far for the prevention, management and treatment of COVID-19. We carried out a detailed review of publicly available data, information and claims on the potentials of indigenous plants used in Sub-Saharan Africa as antiviral remedies with potentials for the prevention and management of COVID-19. In this review, we have provided a holistic report on evidence-based antiviral and promising anti-SARS-CoV-2 properties of African medicinal plants based on in silicon evidence, in vitro assays and in vivo experiments alongside the available data on their mechanistic pharmacology. In addition, we have unveiled knowledge gaps, provided an update on the effort of African Scientific community toward demystifying the dreadful SARS-CoV-2 micro-enemy of man and have documented popular anti-COVID-19 herbal claims emanating from the continent for the management of COVID-19 while the risk potentials of herb-drug interaction of antiviral phytomedicines when used in combination with orthodox drugs have also been highlighted. This review exercise may lend enough credence to the potential value of African medicinal plants as possible leads in anti-COVID- 19 drug discovery through research and development.