Martins Ekor

Martins Ekor
University of Cape Coast | UCC · Department of Pharmacology

PhD

About

73
Publications
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Introduction
Martins Ekor currently works at the Department of Pharmacology, University of Cape Coast. Martins does research in Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Toxicology and Xenobiology. His most recent publication is 'Heavy metal content and health risk assessment of commonly patronized herbal medicinal preparations from the Kumasi metropolis of Ghana'.

Publications

Publications (73)
Article
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Background Despite efforts made to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with malaria, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, malaria continues to be a public health concern that requires innovative efforts to reach the WHO-set zero malaria agenda. Among the innovations is the use of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) that is effective agai...
Conference Paper
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Background Malaria/HIV co-infection (MHC) is a public health challenge which may present with worse health outcomes due to interactions. Coadministration of artemether lumefantrine (ALU) and antiretroviral therapy may have potential drug-drug interactions that can affect the course of treatment for both diseases. Generic ALU medications are used in...
Article
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Global health efforts such as malarial control require efficient pharmaceutical supply chains to ensure effective delivery of quality-assured medicines to those who need them. However, very little is currently known about decision-making processes within antimalarial supply chains and potential vulnerabilities to substandard and falsified medicines...
Article
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Ghana’s rate of reporting adverse drug reaction (ADRs) over the past years has consistently been below the WHO standard despite utilizing the spontaneous or voluntary reporting system. While underreporting undermines the pharmacovigilance system and poses a huge threat to public health safety, there is limited information on the perspectives of hea...
Article
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Background Apolipoprotein E is involved in lipid transport and clearance of lipoprotein through low-density lipoprotein receptors (LDLR). ApoE variation has been linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. There are 3 isoforms of ApoE which originate from two non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms denoted as ε2, ε3 and ε4. The ε2 isoform i...
Article
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Background HIV-related stigma and discrimination are major challenges to people living with HIV (PLWHIV) and are due to misconceptions. Due to socioeconomic variations, there is increased stigma experienced by PLWHIV in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Stigma affects adherence to antiretroviral medications by PLWHIV and defeats the goal of achieving viral...
Article
Toxic pneumonitis and related respiratory symptoms are common among waste management workers (WMWs). Products of different cellular responses following exposure to toxic components of wastes can lead to the production of a variety of biomolecules. There is a growing recognition of the importance of biomarkers in risk assessment and a strong advocac...
Article
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The global burden of malaria continues to be a significant public health concern. Despite advances made in therapeutics for malaria, there continues to be high morbidity and mortality associated with this infectious disease. Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be the most affected by the disease, but unfortunately the region is burdened with indigent h...
Article
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Ziziphus abyssinica root bark is widely used in folk medicine to manage liver diseases, particularly, jaundice but its effect on paracetamol-induced liver toxicity (PILT) has not yet been validated. This study explored the ameliorative effect of ethanolic root bark extract of Ziziphus abyssinica (ZAE) against PILT in rats. The flavonoid and phenoli...
Article
Doxorubicin is a cytotoxic anthracycline anticancer drug that is limited by its cardiotoxic action. This study sought to investigate the cardiopreventive potential of HM12, a 1,4-dihydropyridine (DHP) derivative (CCB) against doxorubicin induced cardiotoxicity in male Wistar rats. HM12 was synthesized as a DHP-based hexahydroquinoline derivative (2...
Article
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Bergapten, a furocoumarin found in many medicinal plants, is used for the management of various conditions. The present in vitro study evaluated the ability of bergapten to prevent human erythrocyte hemolysis and protein denaturation. Bergapten administered at 10, 30, and 100 μg/ml exhibited a significant concentration-dependent protection on the e...
Article
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Hyperlipidaemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of death globally. Celecoxib attenuated hypercholesterolaemia associated with CCl4-induced hepatic injury in rats without improving liver function in our previous study. This present study investigated the lipid lowering potential of celecoxib in normal rats fed w...
Article
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The diversity offered by natural products has timelessly positioned them as a good source for novel therapeutics for the management of diverse medical conditions, including pain. This study evaluated hydro-ethanolic root bark extract of Ziziphus abyssinica (ZAE) as well as β-amyrin and polpunonic acid isolated from the plant for analgesic property....
Preprint
Full-text available
Hyperlipidaemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of death globally. Celecoxib attenuated hypercholesterolemia associated with CCl4-induced hepatic injury in rats without improving liver function in our previous study. This present study investigated the lipid lowering potential of celecoxib in normal rats fed wi...
Article
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Recent evidence indicates that Ca2+ dysregulation is involved in the pathogenesis of isoproterenol (ISP)-induced biochemical toxicity and associated oxidative stress. In this study, we investigated the chemopreventive benefit of M3, a 1,4-dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker, against ISP-induced toxicity in male Wistar rats. Adult rats were divi...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
The diversity offered by natural products has timelessly positioned it as a good source for novel therapeutics for the management of diverse medical conditions, including pain. The study aimed at evaluating the hydro-ethanolic root bark extract of Ziziphus abyssinica (ZAE) for analgesic property and the mechanism(s) responsible for this action. Als...
Article
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What would it take in terms of the structural reforms in science, technology, and culture to cultivate sustainable therapeutic and preventive medicine innovations against zoonotic infections such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the 21st century? In May 2019, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Servi...
Article
Objectives Ziziphus abyssinica (ZA) is employed in managing several ailments in Traditional African Medicine. Scientific evaluations are necessary to ascertain the medicinal potential of ZA as a source of new drug molecules. This study investigated the possible therapeutic benefit of ZA leaf (ZAL) and root bark (ZARB) extracts in an experimental mo...
Article
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Purpose: Safety data on commonly used herbal medicinal products (HMPs) and marketed in Ghana is scarce. We assessed the sub-chronic toxicity of three most-patronized commercial antimalarial HMPs in Kumasi, Ghana. Method: Top-three HMPs (designated HPA, HPB and HPC) were selected after a mini-survey and sub-chronic toxicity evaluation conducted i...
Article
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Two natural products, compounds 1 and 2 were isolated from the root bark of Ziziphus abyssinica for the first time and were structurally elucidated as β-amyrin and polpunonic acid, respectively. Both compounds were further subjected to an in vivo study in rats to evaluate their anti-arthritic potency. Compared to the arthritic control group, rats t...
Article
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Background: Advertisements of most alcoholic beverages in Ghana persuasively entice consumers with herbal constituents believed to enhance sexual performance, although, alcohol has negative effect onfertility. The impact of herbal constituents in these alcoholic beverages on the known negative effects of alcohol on fertility remains to be evaluated...
Article
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Background: Menstrual pain is one of the common gynaecological presentations of women of reproductive age to health care physicians. In Ghana, there exist a paucity of research on the risk factors of dysmenorrhea among older females. Objectives: Very few studies in Ghana have addressed the risk factors for severe dysmenorrhea among University st...
Article
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Objective: Despite the increased patronage of herbal medicinal products (HMP), they remain poorly regulated in Ghana and their efficacy and safety data is seldom adequate. The objective of the present study is to provide insight into concerns regarding post-market HMP safety and efficacy from the perspectives of users in Kumasi, Ghana. Methods: Thi...
Article
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Purpose To address the question of whether users of herbal products (HPs) are exposed to harmful contaminants, we evaluated six HPs mostly patronized in Kumasi for heavy metal contamination and assessed the health risk associated with their use. This study is one of the first safety evaluation studies on finished multiherbal products in the region....
Article
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Bergapten (5-methoxypsoralen, 5-MOP) is a plant-derived furocoumarin with demonstrated anti-inflammatory action. The present study investigated its effects on allergic inflammation in two related pathways of mast cell degranulation. Compound 48/80 and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were used to activate the IgE-independent pathway while bovine serum albu...
Article
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Introduction: Menstrual disorders are common among females of reproductive age and are a major cause of gynaecological referrals. They result from various individual, family, socioeconomic and environmental factors. It is important to understand these variations in the menstrual cycle to help premenopausal women cope better with them and proffer tr...
Article
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Background: Ghana does not have reliable surveillance programme for ensuring safety of food and herbal products on the market. Data from previous studies have shown the presence of pesticide residues in food products and its associated health risk. In this present study we assessed the residual pesticide content of six most patronized herbal prepar...
Article
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Background and Aim: Dysmenorrhea is one of the leading causes of gynecological hospital visits globally, with resultant physical, psychological, academic, and social consequences. There exists a paucity of research on dysmenorrhea in Ghana and those available focus on the adolescent population. Our study intends to add to the body of knowledge by d...
Article
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Background and Objective: Sorghum bicolor (SB) and saltpeter (Sp) are food additives commonly used by food vendors of West African countries. Despite widespread use, there is still paucity of information on their safety, especially when used in combination. This present study investigated the sub-acute toxicity potential of aqueous extracts of SB a...
Article
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Background The global increase in acceptance and use of herbal remedies in recent times is still accompanied with poor knowledge of their potential adverse effects and the toxicological implications of their use are underestimated. Methods Bon-santé Cleanser® (BSC), a polyherbal containing Anogeissus leiocarpus, Terminalia ivorensis, Massularia ac...
Article
The present study investigated the modulatory and chemopreventive benefit of amlodipine (AML), a dihydropyridine calcium channel antagonist, against neurobehavioural abnormalities (NAs) associated with chlorpromazine (CPZ) toxicity in mice. Adult mice were divided into five groups of 6 animals/group. Group 1 (control) was administered saline (10 ml...
Article
Recent studies have indicated an increased incidence of toxic neuropathies among waste management workers (WMW) possibly linked to increased detection of heavy metals in municipal solid wastes. The present study evaluated serum levels of some heavy and essential trace metals in relation to oxidant/antioxidant status of WMW. One hundred and twenty-s...
Article
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This study investigated the effect of selective inhibition of phosphodiesterase-5 on hepatotoxicity and genotoxicity induced by adriamycin in rats. Thirty male Wistar rats (150 – 250 g) were randomly assigned into six groups of 5 rats/ group. Negative, positive and sildenafil controls received physiological saline (10 ml/kg, p.o.), adriamycin (20 m...
Article
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Aim: We tested the hypothesis that administrations of methanolic extracts of Musa sapientum sucker (MEMS) with exercises attenuated hyperglycemia in alloxan-diabetic rats. Materials and methods: A total of 40 adult male rats were divided into equal eight groups. Normoglycemic Group A was Control. Alloxan (180 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered to rat...
Article
The incidence of xenobiotic-induced nephrotoxicity, estimated at over 150 per million population based on sporadic regional publications, is increasing in all subregions of Africa. Studies across the continent have revealed plants with nephrotoxic or nephroprotective potential. Majority of these studies are conducted in South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt...
Article
Achieving effective municipal solid waste (MSW) management remains a major challenge and waste generation and accumulation continue to constitute important environmental and public health concern, particularly in most developing countries. Although the general population is at risk of adverse health consequences and hazards associated with exposure...
Article
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The use of herbal medicinal products and supplements has increased tremendously over the past three decades with not less than 80% of people worldwide relying on them for some part of primary healthcare. Although therapies involving these agents have shown promising potential with the efficacy of a good number of herbal products clearly established...
Article
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Waste management workers (WMWs) around the world are at risk of work-related health disorders. The influence of employment duration on individuals occupationally exposed to solid waste was investigated in this study. The study comprised (n = 280) 180 WMWs and 100 controls. Employment duration was obtained from questionnaire survey and categorized i...
Article
Work-related health and safety risks are common among waste management workers (WMWs). This study investigated the level of compliance with safety measures in relation to levels of inflammatory markers among WMWs in Sagamu, South-West Nigeria. WMWs comprising 30 cart pushers (CPs) and 50 truck users (TUs) were recruited alongside 45 people from the...
Article
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Background: Altered regulation of nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (NO-cGMP) is present in liver cirrhosis. Several experimental studies have shown that selective modulation of NO metabolism in the liver reduces intrahepatic resistance and portal pressure in cirrhosis. This preliminary study investigated whether selective inhibition of...
Article
There is renewed attention and greater focus on anxiety and sleep- sleep-related disturbances because of the high prevalence, complexity, and their health related implications. The role of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), which refers to therapeutic approaches that are "complementary to the end goals of decreasing illness and enhancing...
Article
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Objective To investigate the hepatoprotective effects of Vitamin C in propanil intoxiciated Wistar rats.Methods Twenty-four adult male rats were divided into four equal groups of six each: control; 100mg propanil/kg; 100mg vitamin C/kg; propanil (100mg/kg) plus vitamin C (100mg/kg). Treatment was via oral route and was administered once daily for 7...
Article
Immune status of waste management workers (WMW) with underlying systemic inflammation was assessed to identify useful immune-related biomarkers of occupational health and safety. Clinical history of WMW revealed high prevalence of respiratory symptoms alongside gastrointestinal and musculoskeletal complaints relative to control. Systemic inflammati...
Article
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Recent instances of breakdowns of malaria control programs and the constant emergence of drug-resistant parasites to monotherapies have shored up the use of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) as the malaria therapy of choice. We evaluated a subacute therapeutic dosing of artemether-lumefantrine and artesunate-amodiaquine on plasma choleste...
Article
Airway inflammation and related respiratory complaints are common symptoms among waste management workers (WMWs). This study investigated the relationship between exposure to municipal solid waste (MSW) and the levels of inflammatory markers and oxidative stress among WMW of Ogun State, South West Nigeria. A total of 280 subjects consisting of 180...
Article
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Cyclophosphamide (CYC) as an anticancer alkylating agent has been known as a male reproductive toxicant. This study was aimed to evaluate the protective effect of rutin (RUT) on CYC-induced reproductive toxicity. Sexually mature Wistar rats (weighing 199 ± 10 g with five animals in each group) were given CYC (15 mg/kg) and/or RUT (30 mg/kg) twice a...
Article
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Quinine, a rapidly acting blood schizonticide with a long history of use for the treatment of malaria, is gradually been implicated in reproductive toxicity. In this study, testicular and spermatotoxic effects of quinine sulfate (QS) following treatment with an oral dose of 10 mg/kg/day (normal therapeutic dose) for 8 weeks was investigated in male...
Article
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Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression and prostaglandin production are suggested to play important, complex roles in the pathogenesis of various liver diseases. Studies on the effects of COX-2 inhibitors on the progression of liver fibrosis present controversial results, and the proposed therapeutic potential of these agents in chronic liver disease...
Article
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The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) subserves vital physiological functions and also implicated in certain pathological states. Modulation of this system has been proposed in recent studies to be a promising strategy in treating liver fibrosis. We investigated the effect of the pharmacologic inhibition of RAS with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhib...
Article
The effectiveness of the antioxidant thiol, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), in enhancing methylmercury (CH3HgCl) excretion and its utility as a possible antidote in CH3HgCl poisoning has been reported. NAC, however, has been reported to be ineffective in accelerating excretion of divalent toxic metals, including inorganic mercury, Hg2+. In this study, we e...
Article
Excessive intake of cholesterol (CHOL) and induction of free radical production play a critical role in the pathophysiology of several human diseases. Dietary therapy with plant products rich in flavonoids has been shown to provide benefits without the adverse effects of agents used in clinical practice. Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) has been used for v...
Article
The present study investigated the modulatory role of phenolic extract of soybean (PESB) in a rat model of nephrotoxic acute renal failure induced by cisplatin. Cisplatin (2 mg/kg/day) was administered to the rats for 5 days and the animals were pretreated with PESB (250-1000 mg/kg). Blood urea nitrogen reduced by 49.8% and 59.0%, serum creatinine...
Article
A methanol leaf extract of Mormodica charantia was evaluated for analgesic and contractile effects. The extract showed a significant reduction in writhing induced by acetic acid in mice and contractile effects on isolated rat stomach strip preparation, but reversed a dimethytubocurarine block of rat diaphragm muscle preparations, suggesting cholino...
Article
Tetracycline, a broad-spectrum antibiotic employed clinically in the treatment of bacteria infections, is known to cause a number of biochemical dysfunctions and suspected to induce testicular damage to animals and humans, but there is paucity of data on its effect and mechanism of action on the male reproductive system. The present study therefore...
Article
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The methanolic extracts of Hippocratea indica root bark and Poga oleosa fruits were investigated for anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities. Both extracts inhibited carrageenan-induced paw oedema significantly in rats in a dose-dependent manner in 4 h. H. indica inhibited oedema significantly at the minimal dose (125 mg/ml, p< 0.05) from 2...
Article
The present investigation reports the effect of curcumin, an antioxidant, on gentamicin-induced-renal oxidative damage in rats. Curcumin (200 mg/kg p.o.) was administered for 2 weeks before and 1 week simultaneously with gentamicin (100 mg/kg i.p.). Saline treated rats served as control. Serum creatinine, blood urea (BUN), urinary protein, glucose,...
Article
Gentamicin (GM) is one of the most important of the aminoglycoside antibiotics used widely for the treatment of serious and life-threatening infections and whose clinical use is limited by its nephrotoxicity. As the pathogenesis of GM-induced renal dysfunction and injury involves reactive oxygen species, the polyphenolic constituents of soybean wit...
Article
Paracetamol (PCM) is an analgesic, antipyretic drug available as an over the counter (OTC) medication which causes hepatotoxicity at high doses. The effect of Persea americana (PA) (200 and 400 mg kg<SUP>-1</SUP> body weight, administered for 8 days) on paracetamol-induced acute hepatic damage was studied by investigating the effects on liver funct...
Article
The methanol extract of Peperomia pellucida aerial parts, given orally at doses ranging from 70 to 210 mg/kg, showed a significant analgesic activity on acetic acid-induced writhing in mice.

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