Efere Martins Obuotor

• Doctor of Philosophy
• A former Head of Department at Obafemi Awolowo University

Many medicinal plants have been reported to exhibit protective effects against many physiological diseases as a result of their phytochemical components which are effective antioxidants. This study was aimed at comparing the phenolic and flavonoids contents, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of methanol extract of Jatropha curcas seeds and leave...

Some Sulfanoquinoxaline-2,3-diones hydrazone derivatives (1-8) were synthesized from the reactions of 2,3-dioxoquinoxaline-6-sulfonohydrazine with seven substituted benzaldehydes and acetophenone. All the synthesized compounds were biologically evaluated against cholinesterase’s (acetylcholinesterase and butyryl cholinesterase). Compounds 1-8 were...

Aims: To synthesize some phthalimides derivatives and evaluate the compounds for their possible biological properties. Methods: The substituted phenylisoindoline-1,3-dione were synthesized from the reactions of N-phenyl phthalimide with different substituted aromatic aldehyde. The synthesized compounds were characterized using nuclear magnetic reso...

Aims: To synthesize some phthalimides derivatives and evaluate the compounds for their possible biological properties. Methods: The substituted phenylisoindoline-1,3-dione were synthesized from the reactions of N-phenyl phthalimide with different substituted aromatic aldehyde. The synthesized compounds were characterized using nuclear magnetic reso...

The tropical stingless bee, Meliponula bocandei Spinola, 1853 is an important pollinator in West Africa but there is no study on the effect of pesticides on this species. This study assessed the effects of cypermethrin, a common pyrethroid on survival, taste (sucrose sensitivity), and biochemical responses of M. bocandei. The biochemical markers we...

Background Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder of glucose metabolism and management of blood glucose level is the hallmark in the treatment of this disease. The present study investigated chemical composition, in vitro antioxidant and antidiabetic activity of different fractions of 80% methanol Piper guineense leaves extract. Materials and m...

The medicinal properties of Daniella oliveri are attributed to its different parts. Several parts of the plants are used in forklore medicine to treat various diseases such as liver diseases, inflammation, fever and pain. The present study evaluated the antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities of ethanol extract of Daniella oliveri (EEDO) stem b...

Piper guineense, Gongronema latifolium and Cymbopogon citratus (PGC) serve as an effective polyherbal antisickling extract used in the management of sickle cell disorder. This present study assessed the toxicity effect of the ethanol leaf extract of PGC in rats. The acute oral toxicity test of the polyherbal was evaluated in albino rats using a sin...

The leaf extracts of Nauclea latifolia (Smith) were investigated for its bioactive constituents to validate it reported ethnomedicinal uses (infectious and oxidative stress related diseases). Isolation of antioxidant compounds from the ethyl acetate fraction was achieved by a DPPH directed fractionation, which resulted in trans-3,4-dihydroxycinnami...

Pathogenic microorganisms and oxidative stress have continuously threatened the wellbeing of humans. In this study, we determined the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bacteriocidal Concentration (MBC)/ Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) of extracts of Eugenia uniflora, Cassia sieberiana, Laportea aestuans and Dysoxylum lentice...

There are evidences that free radicals mediated damages play important role in the aetiology of several diseases necessitating search for antioxidants especially from natural origin. Free radical scavenging activities of Laportea aestuans (Urticaceae) is well documented, therefore this study aims at evaluating the safety of L. aestuans and isolatin...

Background: The epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection among under-five children in the South West Nigeria remains largely understudied. There is no data on the subject from the study area. Objectives: This study was conducted to assess the seroprevalence of H. pylori infection among under-five children at a tertiary hospital...

Aim: Leaves of Olax subscorpioidea, Hoslundia opposita, Cleistopholis patens, Plumbago zeylanica and Dioscoreophyllum cumminsii that are used as anti-diabetics were evaluated for hyperglycaemic-lowering and antioxidant activities to justify their Nigerian ethnomedicinal usage. Experimental procedures: Leaf methanolic extracts (100, 200 and 400 mg/k...

In this study, children with sickle cell anemia were evaluated for iron deficiency. Serum ferritin and free erythrocyte protoporphyrin free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP) levels, mean corpuscular volume mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) were used in determining their iron status. The s...

Diabetes mellitus is a serious condition with potentially devastating complications that affects all age groups worldwide with the percentage of affected people increasing at an alarming rate. Inhibition of alpha‐amylase and alpha‐glucosidase are the most important strategies in controlling the postprandial blood glucose and invariably for the trea...

Ethnopharmacological relevance Dennettia tripetala Baker f. belonging to the family Annonaceae is an important food and medicinal plant used in some local communities in Southwest Nigeria. Aims of the study The study aims at determining the chemical composition of the essential oil of different morphological parts of D. tripetala, the memory enhan...

Background Beta (β)-endorphins are endogenous neuropeptides found in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of humans but there have been reports of the relationship between the plasma and CSF β-endorphin levels in different clinical conditions. However, the relationship between β-endorphin levels in the plasma and CSF of children with cerebral m...

Aging in humans generally is associated with deterioration of cognitive abilities, particularly of learning and memory leading to dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. A number of herbal medicines are reported to improve brain function and intelligence. In the present study, the ameliorating effects of essential oil extracted from Piper nigrum a...

Antioxidant activities of the crude leaf extract and four solvent fractions: hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and butanol fractions from Treculia africana leaf were carried out to determine their potentials and suitability in the management of oxidative diseases. Different antioxidant assays (TAC, DPPH, FRAP, inhibition of NO, metal chelating...

This study evaluated the ameliorative and prophylactic effects of 2 different doses of polyphenolic-rich fraction of Garcinia kola (PPRFGk) seeds on the histology and hormones of pituitary–testicular axis of male Wistar rats. Thirty-five male Wistar rats (150-200 g) were divided into 7 groups of 5 rats each. Groups I and II were given distilled wat...

Objective: Kigelia africanais widely used, traditionally, in Africa in the treatment of many conditions and complaints like kidney and stomach disorders, malaria, wounds, venereal diseases etc. In the present study, an attempt has been made to investigatethe antioxidant activity of extracted fractions of the stem bark and analyze the non-polar frac...

Spondias mombin has been used in traditional medicine for the management of several diseases, including memory loss. This study aimed to evaluate the cholinesterase inhibitory activity of the methanol extract of the leaves and its derived fractions, as well as carry out detailed phytochemical investigations leading to the isolation and characteriza...

Introduction: The estimation of serum ferritin level is a method of determining iron status. We studied the iron status of a group of non-chronically transfused children with sickle cell anaemia (SCA), using their serum ferritin levels. Objective: To determine the iron status among children with SCA in steady state in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Material and...

Background and Objective: Most commonly used synthetic antioxidants have side effects and are carcinogenic according to research reports. Therefore the search for natural antioxidants from plants sources which are presumed to be safe, potent, nutritional and possessing therapeutic value is necessary. The objective of this study was to compare the a...

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is an ailment with enormous social and economic burden for patients and care givers. The study evaluated the in vitro antisickling and antioxidant properties of aqueous and ethanol extracts of fifty selected plants used in the management of sickle cell disease (SCD) with the aim of justifying their use in the management of...

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is an ailment with enormous social and economic burden for patients and care givers. The study evaluated the in vitro antisickling and antioxidant properties of aqueous and ethanol extracts of fifty selected plants used in the management of sickle cell disease (SCD) with the aim of justifying their use in the management of...

Objectives Cerebral malaria (CM) is the most lethal form of malaria, yet its pathogenesis is not fully understood. Cytoadherence, sequestration, alterations in cytokine expression, inflammation, and microvascular obstruction are all hypothesized to be important in the aetio‐pathogenesis of coma which characterizes cerebral malaria and the death whi...

Enantiomerically enriched coordination compounds of aspartic acid and racemic mixtures of coordination compounds of glycine metal-ligand ratio 1 : 3 were synthesized and characterized using infrared and UV-Vis spectrophotometric techniques and magnetic susceptibility measurements. Five of the complexes were resolved using (+)- cis -dichlorobis(ethy...

Coordination compounds of 4-hydroxy-3-nitro-2 H -chromen-2-one and their mixed ligand complexes with aminoethanoic acid and pyrrolidine-2-carboxylic acid were synthesized by the reaction of Cu(II) and Zn(II) salts in molar ratio 1 : 2 for the coumarin complexes and 1 : 1 : 1 for the mixed ligand complexes, in basic media. The compounds formed were...

Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disease which occurs due to lower levels of acetylcholine neurotransmitters, and results in a gradual decline in memory and other cognitive processes. Acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase have been reported to be the primary regulators of the acetylcholine levels in the br...

Background: In 2015, World Health Organization (WHO) documented that over 3.2 billion people, which is almost half the world’s population, are at risk of malaria infection. Within our immediate West African countries today, there is still a high incidence of malaria deaths, most of which involves children. Malaria, an acute febrile sickness, is kno...

Background The plant, Chrysophyllum albidum is indigenous to Nigeria and its stem-bark has wide application in traditional medicine for the treatment of infections and oxidative stress related diseases. The aim of the study was to isolate the chemical constituents responsible for the antioxidant and antibacterial activity from the stem-bark of the...

The leaves of Pycnanthus angolensis (Welw.) Warb., Myristicaceae, are used as memory enhancer and anti-ageing in Nigerian ethnomedicine. This study aimed at evaluating the cholinesterase inhibitory property as well as isolates the bioactive compounds from the plant. The acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory potentials of extract...

This study was carried out to evaluate the potential anti-diabetic effect of Anthocleista vogelii ethanolic root extract in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Albino rats of both sexes were randomly divided into five groups with five rats each. Group 1 (control; 10 mL kg-1 distilled water), group 2-4 (100, 200 and 400 mg kg-1 A. vogelii ethanolic root...

Background: Solenostemon monostachys Briq. (Lamiaceae) is a weed widely used in ethno medicine to treat infections and inflammatory conditions but the active compounds are yet to be identified. This study isolated and identified the radical scavenging compounds from S. monostachys crude extract using diphenyl-1, 1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) to monitor...

Anthocleista vogelii is one of the major constituents of herbal preparations traditionally used in the management of diabetes mellitus in the South western part Nigeria. This study was carried out to evaluate the potential antidiabetic effect of Anthocleista vogelii aqueous root extract in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats with a view of scienti...

Aim: This study was designed to investigate the bioactive compounds in Costus afer Ker Gawl, an indigenous African medicinal plant whose leaf and stem extracts are used in the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases, especially rheumatism and arthritis. Materials and methods: The bioactive compounds present in the n-butanol fractions of C. af...

Background: Solenostemon monostachys Briq. (Lamiaceae) is a weed widely used in ethno-medicine to treat infections and inflammatory conditions but the active compounds are yet to be identified. This study isolated and identified the radical scavenging compounds from S. monostachys crude extract using diphenyl-1, 1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) to monitor...

The present study investigated the effects of Momordica charantia on hyperglycaemia and selected markers of antioxidants activities which include thiobarbituric acid reactants (TBARS), Catalase (CAT), Glutathione (GSH), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats. Forty healthy adult Wista...

African animal trypanosomosis (AAT) is a disease of concern with ravaging effects on the health of both animals and livestock in tropical Africa. This study investigates the anti-trypanosomal activities of Anogeissus leiocarpus (ALE) and Vitelleria paradoxa (VPE) stem bark extracts and also determines the toxicological profile of the active plant,...

Objective: To evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of a tropical African medicinal plant, Costus afer (C. afer) Ker Gawl. in vitro and identify the chemical constituents in the most active fraction. Methods: Hexane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and aqueous fractions obtained through successive solvent partitioning of 70% methanolic leaf or stem extr...

JEDDY decoction, a plant medicine, is prepared by the “Village Chemist” of Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria for the treatment of hemorrhoids, pile, flatulence, abdominal distention, indigestion and colic. It is a popular OTC herbal medicine, available in Nigeria especially in the South-west. Hence, the main objective of the research was to car...

Aims: Research for sourcing laxative crude drugs among Nigerian Cassia/Senna species has continued. The roots of Cassia sieberiana and Senna obtusifolia, reported as mild laxatives, were subjected to pharmacognostic and toxicity investigations to form part of their monographs. Study Design: This is an experimental laboratory report on toxicologica...

The extracts obtained from Anacardium occidentale leaf were investigated for antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Bioassay-guided fractionation using DPPH autobiographic analysis of the EtOAc soluble fraction of the crude extract resulted in the isolation of agathisflavone (1) and a mixture of quercetin 3-O-rutinoside (2) and quercetin 3-O-rha...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antihyperglycemic and antioxidative effect of Croton zambesicus (C. zambesicus) leaf extract in experimentally induced diabetic rats. Seventy adult male wistar rats were divided into seven groups (n=10). Group A, control rats; Group B, untreated diabetic rats; Group C, diabetic rats in which C. zambesicus t...

Hepatoprotective effect of Garcinia kola seed extract on oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity biomarkers of rats exposed to antitubercular drugs was investigated to evaluate its potential to ameliorate drug-induced hepatotoxicity. Six groups of five animals each were used. Combination of Isoniazid (7.5 mg/kg bodyweight) and Rifampicin (10 mg/kg body...

Background Flavonoid-rich aqueous fraction of methanolic extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa calyx was evaluated for its anti-hepatotoxic activities in streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats. Methods Diabetes Mellitus was induced in Wistar rats by a single i.p injection of 80 mg/kg b.w. streptozotocin (STZ) dissolved in 0.1 M citrate buffer (pH 6....

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a common metabolic disorder that affects both the young and old in the developed and developing countries. The potential anti-diabetic effect of Anthcleista vogelii ethanolic root extract and fractions in Wistar rats due to its use in ethno-medicine was investigated in this work. Methods: Acute toxicity study of the...

Massularia acuminata is a small tree or shrub of tropical rainforest. The leaves are used in Nigerian ethno-medicine for the treatment of microbial infections and pharmacological report suggested the leaf extract as possessing antioxidant activity. This study was therefore carried out to determine the most antioxidant and antimicrobial active fract...

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Costus afer Ker Gawl is an indigenous tropical African medicinal plant used as therapy in the treatment of inflammatory ailments such as rheumatoid arthritis. This study was designed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of the hexane fraction of C. afer leaves (CAHLF). Materials and methods:...

The concentration of antioxidants in vegetables are dependent on factors including sowing date and level of fertilizer applied. A field experiment was conducted in 2007 and 2008, to study influences of sowing date and fertilizer rate on antioxidant activities and concentrations of antioxidant phenolic compounds in pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L) fruit....

ABSTRACT Background: Diabetes mellitus is a common metabolic disorder that affects both the young and old in the developed and developing countries. The potential anti-diabetic effect of Anthcleista vogelii ethanolic root extract and fractions in Wistar rats due to its use in ethno-medicine was investigated in this work. Methods: Acute toxicity stu...

Acute toxicity bioassay of water soluble fraction of crude oil (Escravos blend), was conducted to evaluate the toxicity on the early life stages of the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) under static bioassay conditions. Five concentrations of water soluble fraction (WSF) of the crude oil (0, 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10 and 20%) were constituted in glass aq...

This study investigated the growth of the Clarias gariepinus fry under varying concentrations of water soluble fraction of crude oil. Escravos crude oil samples were collected from warri refinery and Petrochemical Company, Delta State, Nigeria and prepared in the laboratory into water soluble fraction using standard methods. Brood stock of two adul...

Eugenia uniflora leaf is used ethnomedically in some tropical countries, including Nigeria, in the management of diabetes. Its extrapancreatic anti-diabetic and -oxidant activities have been reported while its insulin stimulation is unknown. In vivo anti-hyperglycaemic activities of its methanolic extract (A) and partition fractions and their in vi...

Eugenia uniflora leaf is used ethnomedically in some tropical countries, including Nigeria, in the management of diabetes. Its extrapancreatic anti-diabetic and -oxidant activities have been reported while its insulin stimulation is unknown. In vivo anti-hyperglycaemic activities of its methanolic extract (A) and partition fractions and their in vi...

Peltophorum pterocarpum, family Leguminosae is a tree natural to tropical South-Eastern Asia and was brought to Nigeria by immigrants. It has been used traditionally by the South Western people of the country as memory enhancer and anti-ageing. The present study was done to assess the cholinesterase inhibitory activity of the extracts and fractions...

This study presents the protective effects of methanolic Anacardium occidentale leaf extract (AOLE) on the testes of streptozotocin (STZ)- induced diabetic rats. Forty male wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) were randomly divided into four experimental groups A,B,C and D. Hyperglycaemia was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of 0.1 M STZ (7...

Anacardium occidentale is a plant with reported anti-diabetic and antioxidant properties. The objective of this work was to determine the effects of Anacardium occidentale leaf extract (AOLE) on the activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and anti-oxidant enzymes (Glutathione peroxi...

In this study, acute toxicity of aqueous extract of Abrus precatorius seed was carried out in mice and Wistar rats by oral (p.o.) and intraperitoneal route (i.p.) while sub-acute toxicity was evaluated in Wistar rats (i.p.). The LD50 of the extract in mice was greater than 5000 mg/kg (p.o.) and 0.71 mg/kg (i.p.) while in rats it was 316.20 mg/kg (p...

This study evaluated the influence of NPK fertilizer on protein, fibre, ash, fat, carbohydrate, antioxidant activities and antioxidant phenolic compounds in immature and mature fruits of pumpkin. The treatment consisted of six NPK levels (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 kg/ha), and was replicated six times in a randomized complete block design (RCBD)....

Combined Isoniazid (INH) and Rifampicin administration still remain as two of the main drugs of choice in the treatment regimes of tuberculosis (TB) world wide, particularly in Africa, where tuberculosis incidence rates are among the highest in the world. This study evaluated the effects of chronic administration of combined Isoniazid/Rifampicin on...

v>Alchornea cordifolia (Euphorbiaceae) is a plant that has been shown to have considerable activity against a broad spectrum of bacteria including those that have developed resistance to several antibiotics. In view of the high prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria, the search for new effective antimicrobial substances is urgent and must be e...

Alchornea cordifolia (Euphorbiaceae) is a common plant, which has featured prominently in traditional medicinal practice. It has been reported that the decoction of the leaves is taken as central nervous system stimulant. This work was therefore undertaken to examine the central nervous system effects. The neuropharmacological profile of the plant...

An investigation of the proximate composition and antioxidant profile of pumpkin seeds obtained from different levels of NPK 15 : 15 : 15 compound fertilizer application at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria was carried out. Pumpkin seeds were grown in 2010 for two cropping seasons (May to August and August to November), and the follo...

A lactose-binding lectin (TCL) was purified from the seeds of African walnut, Tetracarpidium conophorum, and acute toxicity studies of the lectin were carried out with Swiss albino male mice. Animals were administered doses of TCL from 500 to 2500mg kg�1 body weight (b.wt.) orally while intraperitoneally the dose ranged from 10 to 600 mgkg�1 b.wt....

Croton zambesicus (C. zambesicus) leaves have recently been identified as an antidiabetic agent in Africa. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of C. zambesicus leaf extract on lipid profile in experimentally induced diabetic rats. Seventy adult male Wistar rats were divided into seven groups (n=10): group A, control rats; group B, untre...

The oil of Glycine max commonly known as soybean oil has over the decades grown popularity for its low cholesterol hence its use within the household and commercially for food production has grossly increased. This study was aimed to determine the effects of long term consumption of soybean oil toxicologically and behaviourally. Male albino rats w...

Objectives: To determine the food value and antioxidant activities of five underutilized leafy vegetables namely: Bidens pilosa L.-Beggar’s ticks/ Cobbler’s pegs; Celosia trigyna L.- Woolflower; Crassocephalum crepidioides (Benth) S. Moore - Fireweed/Redflower ragleaf; Launaea taracifolia (L.) Cars- Wild lettuce and Solanum nigrum L. - Black Nights...

Acute, sub acute toxicity and microscopy of the leaves of Jatropha tanjorensis were studied.The microscopic examination of the upper, lower surfaces and that of the powdered samples of the leaves showed the following diagnostic features: Polygonal epidermal cells, anticlinal wavy walls anomocytic stomata, annular xylem vessels, clusters of calcium...