Main research focus: Drug development from natural sources. Other areas of research interest are isolation and characterization of lead compounds for new drug molecules, as well as evaluation and standardization of herbal products. The Research Group since 2020 publishes a journal “Trends in Natural Products Research” (tnpr), https://www.tnpr-napreg.com; doi: 10.48245/tnpr-2734391: ISSN; 2734-391X, now in volume 4
Title of most recent research project: Exploration of the medicinal potentials of Phyllanthus muellerianus (Kuntze) leaves
A maximum of 7 other current/completed research projects:
- Antioxidant effects of Lophiria lanceolata
- Persea americana seeds as a gastroprotective agent
- Anti-ulcerogenic potentials of Chromolaena odorata
- Medicinal usefulness of Combretum paniculatum
- Flavonoids and anticancer activity
- Plants effective in wound healing
- Antiinflammatory activity of medicinal plants
Name of the Coordinator: Professor Peter Achunike Akah, FAS
UNN email address of the RG: nap.reg@unn.edu.ng
UNN email address of the Coordinator: peter.akah@unn.edu.ng
Current webpage of the RG: https://www.unn.edu.ng/natral-products-research-group/
Phone number of the RG:
Phone number of the coordinator: +234 803 775 0231
Base Faculty of the RG: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Department of the Coordinator: Pharmacology and Toxicology
List and brief profiles of members including Google scholar citation and Research gate links
- Professor Peter A. Akah, BSc, MSc, PhD, FWASP, FAS, FAMedS
Coordinator Natural Products Research Group. Fellow Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria (FIPAN), Fellow West African Society for Pharmacology (FWASP), Fellow African Academics Network (FAAN), Fellow Academy of Medicine Specialties (FAMedS), Fellow Academy of Science (FAS). Editor-in-Chief Journal of Medicinal Plants Research (JMPR), African Journal of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (AJOPRED 2019-2022), Trends in Natural Products Research (tnpr) and Continental Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences (CJPS), Academic Editor, Archives of Current Research International and Series Editor BMC Complimentary Medicine and Therapies.
https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?hl=en&user=afzPiaYAAAAJ
https://www.reseachgate.net/profile/Peter-Akah
- Professor Adaobi C. Ezike, , B. Pharm, M. Pharm, PhD
The main thrust of her research has been the elucidation of the pharmacological actions of medicinal plants. Consequently, her research team has established the
pharmacological basis for the use of different medicinal plants in the ethnomedicinal
management of diseases ranging from asthma, diabetes, ulcer, wounds to inflammatory
disorders. Her research strategy is rooted in the separation of bioactive constituents of
medicinal plants, with the ultimate aim of isolating bioactive compounds.
https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=oklpx5QAAAAJ
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Adaobi-Ezike-2/stats/report/weekly/2023-02-12
- Professor Theophine C. Akunne, B.Pharm, M.Pharm, PhD
Joined the services of the University of Nigeria Nsukka in 2005. Actively involved in Natural Products Pharmacology with emphasis on the screening and elucidation of the scientific basis of the use of medicinal plants
https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=UVfnpP4AAAAJ
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Theophine-Akunne-formerly- Okoye/stats/report/weekly/2023-02-12
- Professor Chukwuemeka S. Nworu, B. Pharm, M. Pharm, PhD
Joined the services of the University of Nigeria Nsukka in 2005 and has risen through the ranks to the position of full Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology in 2017. His research interest has been in vaccine adjuvants, bio-response modifiers, and immunopharmacological interventions in infectious diseases. His postdoctoral research experience was at the Ruhr-Universität, Bochum, Germany and University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He is a Fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Germany) and a Senior Fulbright Research Fellow (USA).
https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=gh8UJh0AAAAJ&hl=en
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Chukwuemeka_Nworu
- Florence N. Mbaoji, , BSc, B. Pharm, M. Pharm, PhD
Dr. Florence Nwakaego Mbaoji joined the services of the University in 2009 as Graduate Assistant and rose to the rank of Senior Lecturer in 2019. Her current research interest is in the area of isolation, and characterization of pharmacologically bioactive compounds from medicinal plants that will be effective in the treatment of cancer and management of diabetes mellitus and ameliorate or prevent its vascular-related complications and their mechanism of action determined. https://scholar.google.com/scholar?as_sdt=2007&q=Mbaoji+Florence+Nwakaego&hl=en
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Florence-Mbaoji/research
- Martha N. Ofokansi, B.Pharm, M.Pharm, PhD
Dr. Martha Ofokansi is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology. She joined the services of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 2015. Her main focus is drug discovery from indigenous plants and herbs.
https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=c9h3AhkAAAAJ
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Martha-Ofokansi
- Collins A. Onyeto, B. Pharm, M. Pharm, PhD
Dr. Onyeto joined the services of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 2010. He is currently a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology. He has interest in the molecular mechanism of action of medicinal plants
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=z1UrBXgAAAAJ&hl=en
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Collins-Onyeto
- Ikechukwu I. Peter, B. Pharm, M. Pharm
Joined the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology as an Assistant Lecturer in 2017. He is currently running his doctoral program in the Department. His research interests include ethnopharmacology, natural Products Pharmacology, nanotheranostics , molecular pharmacology and Toxicology
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=2kdzqWAAAAAJ&hl=en
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ikechukwu-Peter
- Akachukwu M. Onwuka, Pharm, M. Pharm.
Marytheresa is a staff of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology. Her research
interests include the extraction, isolation, and characterization of pure compounds from natural
products for pharmacological studies. She is also interested in plants used for treating infectious
diseases.
https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?hl=en&view_op=list_works&authuser=1&gmla=AJsN-F7FO6T8OUomxL
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Akachukwu-Onwuka
- Eleazar M. Alozie, BSc, MSc
Joined the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology as a Lecturer II in 2019.
As a member of Natural products Research Group, he is evaluating the toxicity, antidiabetic and antioxidant activities of herbal medicines and medicinal plants..He is also studying the clinical pharmacology of herbal medicines. .
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=pJ_fLvUAAAAJ&hl=en
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Eleazar-Alozie
10 key publications of the RG from 2019 till date
- Martha N Ofokansi, Chinenye J Ugwah-Oguejiofor, Stella Ihim, Charles O Okoli, Peter A Akah (2021). Neuropharmacological evaluation of the methanol leaf extract of Phyllanthus muellerianus (Kuntze) Exell and its ethyl acetate fraction in mice. Tropical Journal Pharmaceutical research. 20(7).
- Martha N Ofokansi, Matthias O Agbo, Ogechukwu N. Isiogugu, Ikechukwu.E Peter, Peter A. Akah, Festus B. Okoye (2022). Glycosides isolated from leaf extract of Phyllanthus muellerianus (Kuntze) Excell (Phyllanthaceae) upregulatedcell-mediated innate immunity. Fabad Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 2023 (in press).
- Collins Azubuike Onyeto, Martha Nneoma Ofokansi, and Matthias Onyebuchi Agbo (2021). Total Phenolics, Flavonoids and in vitro Antioxidant Properties of Lophira lanceolata Research Journal of Medicinal Plants 15: 29-35.
- Peter Ikechukwu Emmanuel, Ugwu Chikamso Sandra, Onwuka Akachukwu Marytheresa, Mbaoji Florence Nwakaego, Ofokansi Martha Nneoma, Onyeto Collins Azubuike and Philip F. Uzor (2022). Gastroprotective efects of Combretum paniculatum (Combretaceae) leaf extract and fractions on absolute ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in rats. Future Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 8:54.
- Victoria Nonyelum Umeh, Peter Achunike Akah and Martha Nneoma Ofokansi (2020). Potentials of Persea americana Mill (Avocado) (Lauraceae) seeds as ulcer protective agent. Research Journal of Pharmacology. 14 (1) : 1-11
- Peter A. Akah, Innocent F. Ajegi and Martha N. Ofokansi (2020). Evaluation of the gastric antiulcer efficacy of Helianthus annuus L, leaves extract and fractions. Journal of Natural and Ayurvedic Medicine 4(2). 000251.
- Ikechukwu E. Peter, Ifeoma A.Nwabunike, Marytheresa A. Onwuka, Florence N. Mbaoji and Bonaventure C. Obi (2020). Evaluation of the immunomodulatory activity of the methanlol-methylene chloride extract of Parkia biglobosa JacqBenth (Fabaceae) stem Bark in mice. Virology and Immunology Journal, 4(2): 000246. DOI: 10.23880/vij-16000246
- Ikechukwu Peter, Theophine Akunne, Samson Amos, and Peter Akah (2021). Flavonoids and the Mechanisms of their Anticancer Effects. Trends in Natural Products Research, 2(1):1-12. DOI: 10.48245/tnpr-2734391.2021.2.101.
- Mary Osifo, Stella Ihim, Nneka Ani, Chukwuemeka Nworu and Peter Akah (2022). Wound healing and anti-inflammatory activities of Ceiba pentendra (l.) Gaertn. Pharmacological Research-Modern Chinese Medicine 3(100077). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prmcm.2022.100077.
- Florence N, Mbaoji., Ikechukwu E. Peter and Marytheresa Onwuka (2020). Anti-inflammatory activity of the methanol leaf extract and fractions of Lannea barteri Oliv. Engl. (Anacardiaceae) in rats. Drug Discovery, 14(33), 25-32.
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