Ezekiel. Olugbenga Iwalewa

• B.Sc, M.Sc, Ph.D (Pharmacology)
• Professor at University of Ibadan

Purpose Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is unavoidable during kidney transplant and it is responsible for delayed or non-function after kidney transplantation. Cysteamine has been reported to possess activity against pathways of reperfusion injury. Thus, we designed this study to investigate its potential against renal reperfusion injury. Methods...

Background Ischemia/reperfusion has been reported to further damage the intestine reperfusion injury (IRI) and cause multiple distal organ dysfunction through oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. Cysteamine is known to inhibit oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines and apoptosis. This experiment was designed to evaluate the role of cyst...

Background: Ischemia/reperfusion has been reported to further damage the intestine reperfusion injury (IRI) and cause multiple distal organ dysfunction through oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. Cysteamine is known to inhibit oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines and apoptosis. This experiment was designed to evaluate the role of cys...

Gedunin is a bioactive compound, obtained from Entandrophragma angolense (EA), which has limited therapeutic usefulness due to poor aqueous solubility and first-pass effects. Cyclodextrins are cyclic oligosaccharides that form complexes with poorly soluble compounds, thus enhancing their pharmacological activity. In this article, we evaluated the p...

Background: Persea americana has been identified to possess antihypertensive properties, but the mechanisms of these properties remain unclear. This study was thus designed to elucidate the mechanisms of anti-hypertensive activity of the extract and fractions of fresh leaf of Persea americana on hypertension induced in rats.Methods: Crude methanol...

Given the discrepancies on the role of glucose in cardiac hypertrophy, the present study was designed to evaluate cardiac Glucose Transporter-4 (GLUT-4) expression during hypertension-induced myocardial hypertrophy, and exercise-induced myocardial hypertrophy in rats.Twenty Wistar rats were divided into four groups of five rats for studies on myoca...

Objective: Malaria and COVID-19 are two different diseases, but the first symptoms of malaria (including: fever, headache, and chills) are similar/common to symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019. This study was designed to isolate some phytochemicals from the hydroalcoholic extract of Albizia zygia leaves and assess their antimalarial activity and p...

Purpose: Important underlying mechanisms of nitroglycerine tolerance development include oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction and there is paucity of information on how to reduce the tolerance during long term administration. Taurine a sulfonic amino acid was reported to possess antioxidant, cardio-regulatory, neuro-modulatory and membrane-...

Oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis are major pathways in pathophysiology of testicular torsion/detorsion (TTDT) reperfusion injury. This study evaluated the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic role of cysteamine in TTDT-induced injury. Male Wistar rats (n = 32) were grouped into four (n = 8): sham, ischaemia-reperfusion inju...

Treatment-resistance depression and memory impairment disease, burdened with high levels of serious adverse effects of currently existing antidepressants and memory enhancers, have necessitated the search for alternative agents. Although previous preclinical studies have revealed the antidepressant-like and memory-enhancing potentials of morin, a c...

Psychosocial stress has been widely reported to contribute to psychiatric disturbances. Perturbations in the enzymes of GABAergic and cholinergic systems have been implicated as precursors in different stress-related neuropsychiatric diseases. Targeting glutamic acid decarboxylase-67 kDa (GAD67) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) via oxidative, nitrer...

Tryptanthrin is a potent natural alkaloid with good in vitro pharmacological properties. Herein, we report the synthesis of the compound via a new method involving the reduction of isatin with solid-state-supported sodium borohydride under microwave irradiation. The title compound has been tested for its analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity. Th...

Objective: Malaria and COVID-19 are two different diseases, but the first symptoms of malaria (including: fever, headache, and chills) are similar/common to symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019. This study was designed to isolate some phytochemicals from the hydroalcoholic extract of Albizia zygia leaves and assess their antimalarial activity and p...

Aims: The study was designed to investigate the antioxidant and membrane stabilizing potentials of the leaf of Globimetula oreophila, with a view to providing scientific support for the acclaimed ethnomedicinal or traditional uses of the plant. Methodology: The study involved collection, identification, drying, pulverizing, extraction and fractiona...

Background and Aim: Corchorus olitorius (CO) leaf was reported to possess abundant antioxidants and used in the traditional treatment of heart disease. Previous studies revealed the protective roles of antioxidants against oxidative stress and inflammation, which are important underlying pathogenesis of myocardial injury that leads to infarction an...

Psychosocial stress and biological predispositions are linked to mood and personality disorders related to psychiatric behaviors. Targeting neuroinflammation and oxidative stress has been recognized as a potential strategy for the prevention of psychosocial stress-induced psychiatric disorders. Morin, a bioactive compound isolated from mulberry lea...

Neuroinflammation observed during prenatal or early adolescent life plays a prominent role in the neuroprogression of schizophrenia. Thus, it has been hypothesized that suppressing neuroinflammation may retard the progression of the disease. Previous studies have shown that morin, a naturally bioactive compound, possesses antipsychotic-like and inf...

This study investigated the effect of methanolic leaf extract of Peristrophe Bicalyculata (MEPb) on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) associated cognitive decline in Wistar rats. 36 male rats weighing 130–200 g were assigned into 6 groups (n = 6) as follows: normal control, diabetic control, pioglitazone-treated diabetic and three MEPb-treated diabet...

Background The fractions of Corchorus olitorius leaf (COLF) were evaluated against oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis in isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial injury (MI) Wistar rats. Methods The n -hexane, dichloromethane, ethylacetate and ethanol fractions were obtained from COLF extract. Male Wistar strains were randomly grouped into...

Background: Diabetes has been described to be one of the most common cause of neuropathy, responsible for about 30% of neuropathic pain. Most of the drugs used in alleviating neuropathic pain usually produce serious toxic effect. The use of typical painkillers is not satisfactory in alleviating neuropathic pain and as a matter of fact, any pain tha...

Background Kafura pelebe (camphor) {C10H16O} is a chemical substance used mostly amongst the Yoruba ethnic group in Western Nigeria to treat infantile colic during early childhood. This study assess the neurotoxic potentials of Kafura following sub-chronic exposure in female albino Wistar rats. Methods Twenty-eight female rats (mean weight of 130...

The antidiabetic effects of crude methanolic extracts of the leaf and twig of Loranthus micranthus was evaluated in Wister rats. To assess this, data were obtained for the determinant parameters of diabetic complications. Streptozotocin was administered for induction of diabetes; diabetic state was confirmed by persistent hyperglycemia (FBG ≥ 300mg...

The present study was designed to investigate the antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic effect of Peristrophe bicalyculata leaves extract in Wistar rats. Streptozotocin and alloxan were used to induce type 1 diabetes or chemically-induced diabetes. In each experiment, forty-nine albino rats (120-150 g) were divided into 7 groups (n=7). Rats in group...

l‐Arginine‐nitric oxide pathway has been reported to be involved in the mediation of the psychopharmacological effects of many psychotropic drugs. Previous studies have shown that morin, a psychotropic compound isolated from mulberry leaf produces functional psychopharmacological effects indicative of antidepressant, antipsychotic, anxiolytic and n...

Curcumin shows antiglycemic effects in animals. Curcumin is chemically unstable at physiological pH, and its oxidative degradation products were shown to contribute to its anti-inflammatory effects. Since the degradation products may also contribute to other effects, we analyzed their role in the antiglycemic activity of curcumin. We quantified cur...

This study evaluates the reproductive toxicity of ethyl acetate and butanolic fractions from crude methanolic leaf extract of Ocimum gratissimum in male Wistar rats. Acute toxicity was assessed to determine the safety dose, Sub-chronic reproductive toxicity studies were carried out by administering daily 25, 100 and 400 mg/kg body weight doses of t...

Pycnanthus angolensis (Welw) Warb., Myristicaceae, is used extensively in ethnomedicine. Numerous health benefits have been ascribed to the use of different parts of P. angolensis including its role in cognitive function and inflammatory conditions. Hence, this study was undertaken to investigate the effect of stem bark of the plant on memory funct...

Flavonoids are naturally occurring bioactive phytochemical metabolites widely known to prevent and suppress several human diseases, and are important sources of therapeutic compounds from plants. Evidence derived from previous studies suggests that naringin, a neuroactive flavonoid possess functional beneficial neurobehavioral effects including anx...

Previous studies have revealed that morin (MOR), a neuroactive bioflavonoid, with proven psychotropic and neuroprotective properties reduced schizophrenic-like behaviors in mice. This study further evaluated the ability of MOR to prevent and reverse ketamine-induced schizophrenic-like behaviors and the underlying neurochemical changes and increased...

Evidence derived from preliminary studies suggests that morin, a neuroactive flavonoid with proven antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties possess antipsychotic-like activity. The present study was designed to evaluate the probable mechanisms involve in the antipsychotic-like activity of morin in ketamine model of schizophrenia. The effects of...

Aims: The study was designed to investigate the antioxidant and membrane stabilizing potentials of the leaf of Globimetula oreophila, with a view to providing scientific support for the acclaimed ethnomedicinal or traditional uses of the plant. Methodology: The study involved collection, identification, drying, pulverizing, extraction and fracti...

Objectives This study was carried out to investigate the neurobehavioral properties of naringin, a flavonoid compound formed from naringenin on behavioral models in mice. Method The neurobehavioral property of naringin (2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg) administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) was assessed on novelty-induced rearing, locomotor behavior using open...

GABAergic (Gamma-aminobutyric acid) and neurotrophic derangements have important implication in schizophrenia, a neuropsychiatric disease. Previous studies have shown that nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (NADPH-oxidase) alters GABAergic and neurotrophic activities via inflammatory and oxidative pathways. Thus, it has been propos...

The involvement of oxidative/nitrosative stress, cholinergic and inflammatory pathways have been reported to contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, a debilitating neuropsychiatric disorder. Our previous studies have shown that doxycycline (DOX), a notable member of tetracyclines with proven antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties,...

The folkloric use of Clerodendrum volubile P Beauv (Verbenaceae) for treatment of inflammatory conditions in the Southern part of Nigeria has been reported. The anti-inflammatory action of the ethanolic leaf extract on carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema, lipoxygenase and xanthine oxidase inhibitory effects, and membrane stabilizing potential were e...

OBJECTIVE: To study the anxiolytic effect of Peristrophe bicalyculata on stress induced anxiety in mice. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Male Swiss albino mice were used. The animals were grouped into different groups and were treated as follows. Distilled water for control groups {stressed, unstressed}, extract in doses of 40, 80,160,320mg/kg, Fluoxetine (2...

Objectives Morin is a naturally occurring flavonoid with strong anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have shown that flavones modulate neurotransmission through enhancement of gamma amino butyric acid activity in the central nervous system; which led to the hypothesis that they could exert tranquilizing effects in rodents. Hence,...

A well-known component of the Indian spice turmeric, curcumin, has received a lot of attention in recent years as a potential antimalarial agent but the inherent problems associated with low bioavailabilty tends to limit its applicability. The bioavailability is linked to its low solubility in water and its rapid break down in the blood plasma. In...

This study investigates effect of Phoenix dactylifera pits extract (PdPE) on Lead acetate induced cerebral tissue damage. Wistar rats of average weight 150 g were divided into seven groups of six animals each. GRPI animals received distilled water only, GRPII received 60 mg/kg Lead acetate 5 times a week for 3 weeks then distilled water only for te...

Ethnopharmacological relevance: The leaf and fruit of Uvaria chamae P. Beauv (Annonaceae) are used in antimalarial ethnomedical preparations. Therefore, they were investigated for antimalarial activities as well as possible herb-drug interaction with amodiaquine (AQ). Materials and methods: The methanol extracts of the leaf (UCL) and fruit (UCF)...

Context: Schizophrenia is a heterogenous neurological disorder, which has been hypothetically linked to oxidative imbalance and associated behavioral perturbations. Preliminary evidence from animal models predictive of human psychosis suggests that Terminalia ivorensis A. Chev. (Combretaceae) has antipsychotic-like activity in mice. Objective: T...

Background: Gedunin, a limonoid, is linked with antimalarial, anticancer and anti-allergic activities. This study was aimed at preparing an inclusion complex of gedunin and 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HBD) to increase solubility of gedunin in polar solvents which will increase absorption and bioavailability in vivo and thus enhance pharmacologi...

ABSTRACT Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Tetrapleura tetraptera Taub (Fabaceae-Mimosoideae) is a well-known tree growing widely in forest zones all over West Africa. It is used in wound-healing, diabetes mellitus, asthma, hypertension, epilepsy, convulsions, leprosy, mental illness, inflammation, arthritis and rheumatoid pain, schistosomiasis contr...

Aims: Noni juice is a natural herbal formulation containing Morinda citrifolia widely acclaimed as an immune system stimulant and mood enhancer. The aim of the study was to explore the antidepressant-and anxiolytic-like behavioural effects of Noni juice and to further evaluate the possible mechanisms of action in terms of biomarkers of oxidative st...

Current evidences support the inhibition of oxidative and inflammatory signaling mechanisms in the treatment of schizophrenia; as cure for this disease still remains limited. Doxycycline is a tetracycline antibiotic (a minocycline congener) with strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and better pharmacokinetic profiles. Preclinical ev...

This study investigated the effect of ethanolic leaf extract of Clerodendrum volubile on lipid profile of hyperlipidemic Wistar rats. The extract was screened and quantified for phytoconstituents according to standard methods. Also, acute and sub-acute toxicity of the extract were carried out on Wistar rats using standard methods. The rats were gro...

Objectives: Amodiaquine (AQ) is a 4-aminoquinoline antimalarial drug that is rapidly and extensively metabolized mainly by CYP2C8 enzyme to N-desethylamodiaquine (DEAQ). Co-trimoxazole (CTZ) is a combination (sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim) antimicrobial agent with the trimethoprim component being a potent inhibitor of CYP2C8. AQ and CTZ are lik...

Background Plants of the genus Maytenus belong to the family Celastraceae and are widely used in folk medicine as anti-tumour, anti-asthmatic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anti-ulcer agents, and as a treatment for stomach problems. The aim of this study was to isolate and identify active compounds with antifungal activity from Ma...

We investigated the curative activity of Azadirachta indica leaf extract complexed with 2‐hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin (HP‐β‐CD) alone and a combination of (HP‐β‐CD) and polyvinylpyrollidone (PVP) with a view of improving the antimalarial activity of the complex. Hot aqueous extract (HAE), Hot ethanolic extract (HEE) and Cold ethanolic extract (CEE...

This study aimed at determining changes in plasma activities of some enzymes and concentrations of plasma organic constituents which are often used in the assessment of liver functions in uninfected rats (UNR) and Plasmodium berghei infected rats (INR), following a week of intramuscular administration of artemether (12.5 to 50.0 mg/kg/day). The obs...

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...

The consumption of Silkworm, Anaphe venata has been reported to be associated with a high incidence of seasonal ataxia in some parts of Nigeria. Injection of some doses of Aqueous Anaphe venata extract (AAV) by intraperitoneal route into mice has been reported to cause some behavioral changes associated with ataxia. We administered some doses of th...

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...

Twelve phenylglyoxylic acid derivatives were synthesized, characterized and investigated for their antibacterialactivity against nine Gram-positive and four Gram-negative bacterial isolates. Some of the synthesizedcompounds exhibited broad spectrum activity against the bacterial strains, with 2-[2-(acetylamino)phenyl]-N-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-oxoacetam...

The antinociceptive effect of crude extract of Holarrhena floribunda T.Durand & Schinz together with its fractions prepared with hexane, chloroform, ethylacetate, butanol and aqueous were investigated using hot plate, tail immersion and acetic acid-induced abdominal constriction tests in mice. Acute toxicity studies were carried out on the crude ex...

This study was carried out to determine the changes in the urine levels of sodium (Na +), potassium (K +), and calcium (Ca 2+) of rats during a week of intramuscular administration of artemether (12.5 to 50.0 mg/kg/day), another one week thereafter and their concentrations in the plasma at the end of the study. At 12.5 and 25.0 mg/kg of artemether,...

The study was carried out to investigate the anxiolytic properties of aridanin isolated from Tetrapleura tetraptera in mice. Elevated plus-maze was used to investigate the effect. The possible involvement of the GABAA - benzodiazepine receptor complex was also investigated using flumazenil. Aridanin at doses of 5 and 10 mg/kg, i.p. administered 30...

The fruits of the plant Dennettia tripetala G.Baker (Annonaceae) are well known in many communities of some southern states of Nigeria and some West African countries. They are commonly eaten as spices. We investigated the acute toxicity and behavioural effects of the essential oils of these fruits in mice and the mechanism(s) involved in the media...

The aqueous extract of the pods of Cassia fistula Linn (Leguminosae - Caesalpinoideae), cultivated in Ile-Ife, Nigeria were investigated for pharmacological and toxicological properties. The in-vitro effect of Cassia fistula infusion on isolated guinea-pig ileum was examined. Theacute and sub-chronic toxicity of the infusion of C. fistula and Cassi...

The in-vitro effects of methanolic extract (MCSL) and aqueous infusion (ACSL) of the leaves of C. sieberiena on the motility of the rat intestines were studied and compared with those of C. acutifolia(MCAL and ACAL) “Senna”. All the extracts and infusion relaxed the ileum dose-dependently. Their effects were blocked by tolazoline, indicating that á...

The aim of the present study was to investigate the central nervous system depressant effect and neural mechanisms of Aridanin in mice. Novelty-induced rearing, head dips, locomotor activity and effect on learning and memory were studied. Aridanin at 5, 10, 20 and 30 mg kg<SUP>-1</SUP> b.wt. reduced novelty-induced rearing and locomotor activity in...

The antifungal and antibacterial effects of the stem bark extracts of Harungana madagascariensis Lam. ex Poir. (Clusiaceae) were examined against nine microbial pathogens causing infections in both man and animals. Hexane (H), dichloromethane (D), chloroform (C), ethyl acetate (E), acetone (A), methanol (M), and water (W) extracts were tested in vi...

The concentrations of 15 elements and heavy metals in the stem bark of Harungana madagascariensis were determined using an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometer. The anti-anemic activity was done using the changes in hematological parameters (PCV, RBC and Hb) influenced by phenylhydrazine HCL (80 mg/kg) and malaria parasites-ind...

The neuropharmacological effects of Aridanin Ð an N-acetylated glycoside isolated from Tetrapleura tetraptera fruit was examined for locomotory, exploratory, stereotyped behaviours and hexobarbitone-induced sleeping time (HIST) in mice. Aridanin (15- and 30 mg/kg i.p) produced a dose-dependent inhibition of novelty-induced rearing, grooming, body s...

Preliminary pharmacological screening of the aqueous extract from the leaves, stem and root of Harungana madagascariensis Lam. ex Poiret (Guttiferae) are reported to have effect on some cardiovascular diseases like bleeding, cadiopathy, hematuria, and other complications. However, the mechanism underlying its therapeutic effect is not known. The ef...

Clausena lansium (Fool's Curry Leaf) is used for various ethnomedical conditions in some countries, including bronchitis, malaria, viral hepatitis, acute and chronic gastro-intestinal inflammation, and as a spicy substitute of the popular Curry leaf tree (Murraya koenigii). This study was to evaluate the ethnomedical uses of the stem bark in inflam...

Pruritus or itch is associated with malaria infection and/or chloroquine chemotherapy. This study examined the relationship between parasitaemia and chloroquine (CQ) on body scratching (BS) in healthy (un-infected) and malaria-infected rats. The malaria parasite induced a significant (p Keywords : Rats, parasitaemia, chloroquine, opioids, antihista...

In this study we evaluated the analgesic and anti- inflammatory activities of the essential oil (EO) of the fruits ofDennettia tripetala in rodents. The plant is a tropical African plant and the fruits are commonly eaten as spices and consumed as a stimulant, and its various parts are used in the treatment of fever, cough and as anti-emetics.The an...

Based on sethnomedicine, Murraya koenigii. (L.) Spreng. is used as a stimulant, antidysentery, and for the management of diabetes mellitus. Twelve carbazole alkaloids were isolated from the stem, seed, and leaf of the plant growing in Nigeria and Sri Lanka. The methanol extracts were devoid of hypoglycemic activity, and some isolates decreased insu...

The stem bark extract of H. madagascariensis, its 5 fractions and some isolated compounds obtained from the n-hexane fraction were assesed for their anti – anaemia property, anti-malarial and anti-trichomonal activities on Plasmodium and Trichomonads species respectively. The sample pellet of the extract was also analysed to detect its elemental co...

The ethanolic stem bark extract of Harungana madagascariensis (Hypericaceae), (Choisy) Poir were evaluated for their activities on Trichomonas gallinae (Rivolta) Stabler isolated from the pigeon (Columba livia). It was also tested for their anti-malarial activity on N67 Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis (in vivo) in mice and on Plasmodium falciparum is...

It was hypothesized in this study that alterations in plasma lipoprotein profile and disturbed gastrointestinal motility as observed in diabetes mellitus may influence the disposition of halofantrine (HF), a highly lipophilic antimalarial drug. Therefore, using a rat model of diabetes mellitus induced by administration of alloxan monohydrate, the e...

Over the past years, there has been a growing number of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients who are not willing to comply with long-term non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) treatment and wish to use herbal anti- rheumatic medicine. This study assessed the clinical effects of Garcinia kola (GK) in KOA patients. Prospective randomized, place...

The complimentary antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of Harungana madagascariensis stem-bark ethanolic extract on the reactive oxygen species (ROS) markers induced in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus and carrageenan-induced oedema were examined. The study was carried out on normal and alloxan induced diabetic rats. Oedema was induced by...

The present study was conducted to evaluate the analgesic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of two chalcones, 2<SUP>1</SUP>-hydroxy-2,4<SUP>1</SUP>-dimethoxychalcone [2-DMC] and 4-hydroxychalcone [4HC] synthesized in our laboratory. Antioxidant property of the two chalcones were compared with ascorbic acid and were evaluated in the 1,1-dip...

Great interest in herbal medicine as a potential source of phytopharmaceuticals has created the need to review common factors responsible for major diseases and body disorders. This review shows one such common factor in inflammation and the role herbal medicine can play. Traditional medicinal herbal remedies in the southern African region have lon...

Aridanin (an N-acetylglycoside of oleanolic acid) isolated from Tetrapleura tetraptera fruit was investigated for anticonvulsant, analgesic and hypothermic activities in mice. Aridanin at doses of 15 and 30 mg kg^-1 by intraperitoneal administration was shown to protect animals in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizure but not in strych...

The aim of this study is to evaluate and confirm the possible neurotransmitter(s) involved in artemether-induced behavioural syndrome in rats. Rats were administered with 0.2 mL kg<SUP>-1</SUP> normal saline and varying doses of i.m artemether (25, 50 and 100 mg kg<SUP>-1</SUP>) for 6 consecutive days. Neurotoxic symptoms were observed with 50 and...