Department of Biochemistry

Permanent URI for this communityhttp://itsupport.cu.edu.ng:4000/handle/123456789/28750

Welcome to the Department of Biochemistry

Browse

Author: search.filters.author.Ugbogu, Eziuche A.

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Anti-Aging Potential of Bioactive Phytoconstituents Found in Edible Medicinal Plants: A Review
    (MDPI, 2024-06) Iweala, Emeka J.; Adurosakin, Oluwapelumi Eniola; Innocent, Ugochukwu; Omonhinmin, Conrad A.; Dania, Omoremime Elizabeth; Ugbogu, Eziuche A.
    Aging is a complex biological and physiological change that leads to a loss of function in all living organisms. Although the mechanism behind the aging process is still largely unknown, scientific studies have shown that oxidative stress and age-related low autophagy, which are associated with various chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases, promote aging. Interestingly, many medicinal plants and their biologically active compounds have the ability to extend lifespan as they can inhibit oxidative stress and promote autophagy. This review evaluates and provides up-to-date information on the anti-aging potential of bioactive compounds in edible medicinal plants. In this study, seventeen (17) biologically active compounds from edible medicinal plants with anti-aging effects were reviewed. In vivo and in vitro studies showed that these biologically active compounds exhibit anti-aging effects via various mechanisms such as the activation of autophagy, increases in antioxidant enzymes, reductions in reactive oxygen species, the inhibition of inflammatory markers, and the downregulation of senescence genes. This study suggests that edible medicinal plants containing these bioactive compounds may promote health and extend lifespan. However, the exact mechanisms, effective doses, clinical trials, and chronic and genotoxic effects of bioactive compounds as anti-aging agents should be further investigated.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    GC–MS analysis of locally processed palm kernel oil and its mild ameliorative effects on carbon tetrachloride-induced toxicity in rats
    (Comparative Clinical Pathology, 2025-11) Ugbogu, Eziuche A.; Iweala, Emeka J.; Jessie‑Green, Gina; Amuji, Doris Nnenna; Nwankwo, Nnamdi; Okoro, Benedict Chukwuebuka; Dania, Omoremime Elizabeth
    This study investigated the phytochemical composition of locally processed palm kernel oil (LPPKO) and its ameliorative effect on carbon tetrachloride ( CCl4) toxicity in albino Wistar rats. Phytochemical composition was analysed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). For acute toxicity, a single oral dose of up to 5000 mg/kg LPPKO was administered. On day 1, groups 2–5 experimental rats received a single dose of 1 mL/kg CCl4 diluted 1:1 in olive oil. Thirty minutes after CCl4 administration, rats in groups 3, 4, and 5 received LPPKO orally at 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg body weight, respectively, for 14 days. GC–MS analysis identified nine bioactive compounds with pharmacological properties, including 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z) and β-sitosterol. The acute toxicity assessment revealed no detectable signs of toxicity or mortality. The results showed a significant (P < 0.05) increase in high-density lipoproteins, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), and catalase (CAT) and a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), urea, total cholesterol, platelets, chloride, and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the LPPKO-treated groups compared to the CCl4- induced untreated groups (negative control) in both male and female rats. LPPKO treatment has a positive effect on CCl4- induced toxicity in rats by decreasing ALT, AST, ALP, and MDA and increasing SOD, GSH, and CAT. This study shows that LPPKO has the potential to mildly reduce the toxic effect of CCl4 on the liver of Wistar rats.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Corrigendum to “Phytochemical composition, acute and subacute toxicity profile of Persea amaricana seed oil in albino Wistar rats” [Toxicol. Rep. 14 (2025) 101982]
    (Toxicology Reports (Elsevier), 2025) Iweala, Emeka J.; Okore, Finian Uchenna; Okoro, Benedict Chukwuebuka; Dania, Omoremime Elizabeth; Amuji, Doris Nnenna; Ugbogu, Eziuche A.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Bioactive Phytoconstituents and Their Therapeutic Potentials in the Treatment of Haematological Cancers: A Review
    (MDPI, 2023-02) Iweala, Emeka J.; Oluwapelum, Adurosakin E.; Dania, Omoremime Elizabeth; Ugbogu, Eziuche A.
    Haematological (blood) cancers are the cancers of the blood and lymphoid forming tissues which represents approximately 10% of all cancers. It has been reported that approximately 60% of all blood cancers are incurable. Despite substantial improvement in access to detection/diagnosis, chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation, there is still high recurrence and unpredictable but clearly defined relapses indicating that effective therapies are still lacking. Over the past two decades, medicinal plants and their biologically active compounds are being used as potential remedies and alternative therapies for the treatment of cancer. This is due to their anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic, anti-angiogenic, anti-cancer activities and negligible side effects. These bioactive compounds have the capacity to reduce proliferation of haematological cancers via various mechanisms such as promoting apoptosis, transcription regulation, inhibition of signalling pathways, downregulating receptors and blocking cell cycle. This review study highlights the mechanistic and beneficial effects of nine bioactive compounds (quercetin, ursolic acid, fisetin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate, curcumin, gambogic acid, butein and celastrol) as potential remedies for chemoprevention of haematological cancers. The study provides useful insights on the effectiveness of the use of bioactive compounds from plants for chemoprevention of haematological cancers.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Ethnopharmacological relevance, phytochemistry, potential health benefits and toxicity profile of Ananas comosus (L.) Merr (pineapple)
    (Pharmacological Research - Natural Products 10 ( Elsevier), 2026) Ugbogu, Eziuche A.; Iweala, Emeka Joshua; Ukachukwu, Chukwudi Eke; Babayo, Christy; Dania, Omoremime Elizabeth; Isreal, Chollom Longs; Omonhinmin, Conrad A.; Cleanclay, Wisdom D.; Okoro, Benedict Chukwuebuka
    In traditional medicine, the cortexes of A. comosus are used as an alexipharmic, antitussive, and antidiarrheal agent, while the leaves are commonly used as a remedy for indigestion. This review provides a thorough and upto- date literature on the ethnopharmacological uses, phytochemistry, and potential health benefits of A. comosus. The articles used for this study were obtained from databases such as ScienceDirect, Frontiersin, PubMed, Springer, and MDPI. In addition, only articles written in English were included in this review. Phytochemical analysis revealed that A. comosus contains numerous biologically active compounds, including n-hexadecanoic acid, bromelain, n-heptadecanol-1, methyl ester, hexadecanoic acid, squalene, α-tocopherol, tetradecane, 5- hydroxymethylfurfural, dihydroxyacetone, dodecane, DL-α-tocopherol, furan methanol, dodecanoic acid, and 2,4,6-cycloheptatrien-1-one, among others. Various in vivo and in vitro biochemical studies have also shown that A. comosus possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiarrheal, antimicrobial, antimalarial, cardioprotective, anthelmintic, and antidiabetic properties. Therefore, this review shows the biologically active compounds in A. comosus and the potential of different parts of A. comosus to prevent and treat various diseases. While A. comosus has shown promise in animal studies, human clinical trials are needed to determine safe and effective doses. Further research may reveal additional uses for this versatile plant as a functional food and in modern healthcare as a traditional and complementary alternative medicine.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Lentinus squarrosulus: Nutritional composition, phytochemistry, healthpromoting activities and toxicity profile
    (Food and Humanity Volume 2, 2024-05) Ugbogu, Eziuche A.; Dike, Emmanuel D.; Okoro, Benedict C.; Adurosakin, Oluwapelumi E.; Ibe, Chibuike; Uche, Miracle Ebubechi; Nosiri, Chidi I.; Agim, Cosmas; Cosmas, Ezeibe C.; Rahman, Md. Atiar; Iweala, Emeka E.J.
    Lentinus squarrosulus (Mont) is a nutritious and therapeutic edible mushroom with a tough fruiting body. This study aims to provide comprehensive and up-to-date literature on the nutritional composition, biologically active compounds, and health-promoting effects of L. squarrosulus. Databases such as ScienceDirect, Wiley, Springer, and PubMed were used for the material search, and only papers published in English were considered. Biologically active compounds contained in L. squarrosulus are 1- tetradecene, fumaric acid, 9-eicosene, phytol, octahydropyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine, 3- trifluoroacetoxypentadecane F, 2(5 H)-furanone, methyl 2-oxo-1-pyrrolidine acetate, ergosterol, 9-octadecenoic acid (Z)-, methyl ester, hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester, pentadecanoic acid-methyl ester, albuterol, oleic acid, gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, gentisic acid, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, p-coumaric acid, cinnamic acid, catechin, tannic acid, quercetin, isoquercetin, kaempferol, and eriodictyol. Biochemical studies showed that L. squarrosulus possesses antimicrobial, antiulcer, anticancer, antioxidant, gastroprotective, and antidiabetic activities. This study has shown that L. squarrosulus has a therapeutic effect against various of diseases and can be used as a raw material for the development of therapeutic products. However, clinical studies are needed to prove the efficacy of L. squarrosulus for therapeutic purposes.