Public Health & Environmental Sustainability (PHES_RG)

Main Research Focus of the RG:

Health, economic growth and social development depend on how well the environment is harnessed. Our environment is blessed with lots of plants with medicinal value but to what extent do we mobilize the many researches we do on them to the bed-side of patients? How much of our researches look inwards (in-sourcing) at providing low-cost excipients (ingredients) for our local pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industries, rather than out-sourcing them? Some people especially in hard-to-reach communities/areas still drink water from surface sources that are prone to environmental pollution. How well have we used these natural plants to provide low-cost water aids to assist these populations to curb diarrhoeal and other water-related diseases. Over the years, there has been gap in this area of problem-solving in our university. PHES-Research Group was established in 2015 and offers solution to these problems. Our novel plant-based anti-ulcer drug has been utilized in treating well over 1000 ulcer patients across Nigeria. We have optimized some pharmaceutical excipients (In-sourcing) to support local industries (e. g. pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic). PHES-RG has a standard water research laboratory to support quality assurance of drinking water as well as provides a patented low-cost water-aid/purifier/device that is lab-simulated as point-of-use care in water treatment. The group also carries out research on other issues relating to environmental sustainability including consultancy and public enlightenment talks to sensitize people on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) program, sexual and reproductive health for improved wellbeing and achievement of other millennium Development Goals (3, 6 and 13). Our research focus covers medicinal plant research, raw material sourcing for industries, water, technology and policy as well as using the concept of nanotechnology to reformulate and/or repurpose old drugs for better targeting/specificity, lower side effects, controlled release, better acceptability and compliance, to mention but a few. In this regard, we recently developed an antimalaria nanogel for use on the intact skin; which at half-dose (50 mg) of the marketed sample, is able to release artemether (the antimalaria drug) for 1 week at a single use. This regimen is currently being patented in Australia and the research is much appreciated by malaria experts across the world e.g., malaria world (world’s scientific and social network for malaria professionals) with membership of 10,905 and counting.

 

Title of most recent research project:

  • Georg Forster Research Award of the Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung, Germany at Helmholtz-Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Saarland University, Campus, Building E8.1, 66123 Saarbruecken Germany (2018-date):

https://www.humboldt-foundation.de/en/entdecken/newsroom/pressemitteilungen/awards-for-researchers-from-developing-and-transition-countries-1

https://campus.uni-saarland.de/forschung/humboldtpreistraegerin-aus-nigeria-forscht-an-arzneimittel-gegen-magengeschwuere

https://www.helmholtz-hzi.de/en/research/research-topics/bacterial-and-viral-pathogens/archiv/microbial-communication/i-wagner-doebler/

https://www.helmholtz-hzi.de/en/nc/research/research-topics/anti-infectives/biological-barriers-and-drug-delivery/team/

https://guardian.ng/news/american-embassy-honours-nigerian-techwomen/

http://www.newswatchnigeria.com/u-s-embassy-picks-five-nigerian-techwomen-honour/

Name of the Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Petra O. Nnamani

UNN email address of the RG: phes_rg@unn.edu.ng

UNN email address of the coordinator: petra.nnamani@unn.edu.ng

Current webpage of the RG: www.unn.edu.ng/public-health-and-environmental-sustainability-research-group/

Phone number of the RG: 0803 696 3979

Phone number of the coordinator: 0803 696 3979

Base Faculty/Institute/Center of the RG: Department of Pharmaceutics

Department of the Coordinator: Pharmaceutics

 

Headshot of the coordinator:

Brief profile of group members:

  • Team Leader: Petra O. Nnamani (Full Professor, Department of Pharmaceutics): Senior Lecturer at the Department of Pharmaceutics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 410001 Nigeria.Phone:+2348036963979;E-mail:petra.nnamani@unn.edu.ng.
  • Dr Amelia N. ODO (PhD in Health Education): Senior lecturer at the Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 410001 Nigeria Phone: +234 806 464 9495; E-mail: odo@unn.edu.ng.
  • Kenechukwu N. ANUGWOM (PhD in Social Works): Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Social Works, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Phone: +234 903 740 4304; +234 705 676 6770; E-mail:kenechukwu.anugwom@unn.edu.ng.
  • Vitalis C. UKWUEZE (PhD in-view, Electrical Engineering): Network Engineer I, Information and Communication Technology, University of Nigeria Nsukka. Phone: +2348030480715, 08034689841; E-mail: cvitalis@ymail.com
  • Simone U. ONOJA (PhD in Nutrition & Dietetics): Senior Lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Phone: +2348035379341; E-mail: uwakwe.onaja@unn.edu.ng
  • Ebere E. AYOGU (PhD in Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacy Management): Senior Lecturer, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 410001 Nigeria. Phone: +234 8039307396; E-mail: ebere.ayogu@unn.edu.ng
  • Anthony A. ATTAMA (PhD in Pharmaceutics): Professor at Department of Pharmaceutics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Phone:+234-8077488245;08036618204; E-mail: aaattama@yahoo.com; anthony.attama@unn.edu.ng

 

Key publications of the RG from 2019 till date:

  • Adaeze Linda Onugwu, Chinekwu Sherridan Nwagwu, Obinna Sabastine Onugwu, Adaeze Chidiebere Echezona, Chinazom Precious Agbo, Stella Amarachi Ihim, Prosper Emeh, Petra Obioma Nnamani, Anthony Amaechi Attama, Vitaliy V. Khutoryanskiy. Nanotechnology Based Drug Delivery Systems for the Treatment of Anterior Segment Eye Diseases. Journal of Controlled Release 354 (2023) 465-488.
  • Onugwu A.L, Attama A.A, Nnamani P.O., Onugwu S.O., Onuigbo E.B., Khutoryanskiy V.V. Development and optimization of solid lipid nanoparticles coated with chitosan and poly (2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) for ocular drug delivery of ciprofloxacin, Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, 74 (2022) 103527. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jddst.2022.103527.
  • Nnamani PO et al (2022). Wound dressings based on Carrageenan-Prosopis africana Gentamicin films for tissue repair. Precision Nanomedicine (PRNano) Nanomed. 2022 June; 5(2):879-896. https://doi.org/10.33218/001c.35438
  • Nnamani PO et al (2022). Development and characterization of sustained-release artemether loaded solid lipid microparticles based on mixed lipid core and a polar heterolipid. Afr J Pharm Res Dev 2022; 14(1), 001-017 (2022)
  • Attah AF, Akindele OO, Nnamani PO, Jonah UJ, Sonibare MA and Moody JO. Moringa oleifera Seed at the Interface of Food and Medicine: Effect of Extracts on Some Reproductive Parameters, Hepatic and Renal Histology. Pharmacol.2022, 13:816498. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.816498
  • Nnamani PO et al (2021). Formulation and evaluation of transdermal nanogel for delivery of artemether. Drug Deliv. and Transl. Res. (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13346-021-00951-4. Pubmed ID 33742415
  • Nnamani PO et al (2020). Fundamental properties of prosopis africana peel powders (PAPPs) as drug delivery excipient. Afr J Pharm Res Dev 12 (1); 119-133 (2020).
  • Petra Nnamani, Ogechukwu Nnadi, Emmanuel Ibezim, Ebere Ayogu, Joy Reginald-Opara, Simon Onoja, Amelia Odo, Agatha Ugwu, Chidi Ogbonna, Anthony Attama. In vivo antiplasmodial potential of Carrageenan and Prosopis africana buccal films of artemether on malariogenic mice. Journal of Drug Delivery & Therapeutics. 2020; 10(1-s):114-125. DOI https://doi.org/10.22270/jddt.v10i1-s.3790
  • F. Attah, J.O. Moody, M.A. Sonibare, H.H. Salahdeen, O.O. Akindele, P.O. Nnamani, O.A. Diyaolu, Y. Raji. Aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera leaf used in Nigerian ethnomedicine alters conception and some pregnancy outcomes in Wistar rat. South African Journal of Botany 129 (2020) 255–262 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2019.07.041
  • Nnamani PO et al (2019). Preparation, characterization and in vitro antibacterial property of Ciprofloxacin-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier for treatment of Bacillus subtilis infection. J. Microencapsul 2019, 36(1): 32-42.
  • Ugwu AA, Nnamani PO, Ibezim EC, Reginald-Opara JN, Attama AA. Preliminary characterization of modified nanostructured lipid carriers as potential drug delivery systems. J Pharma Res Dev. 2018, 10(2): 085-090.
  • Stars in Global Health Round 4 Phase I, 2013 -2015 by the Grand Challenges Canada (Grant Number 0251-01)

PATENTS:

  • O. Nnamani, C.D. Lokhande, A.J. Shinde, N.R. Jadhav and M.R. Sanandam. SOLID ORAL PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOSITION. Nigerian patent 565, September 30, 2014 (NG/PT/NC/2014/565).
  • O. Nnamani and J.N. Nwakaire. LOW-COST WATER PURIFIER. Nigerian patent 615, October 13, 2014 (NG/PT/NC/2014/615).