LAWAL OLADIPUPO ADEJUMOBI

Chemistry

At the Chemistry department office

Appointment on Visitation important

Topic: Chemical Composition And Biological Activities Of Some Aromatic And Medicinal Plant Species Of Nigerian Origin

Description: It was found that the essential oils from these plant species had numerous important constituents, some of which are used to treat all categories of human diseases. While, others are more of flavouring. Although, some of these plants are known as troublesome weeds by farmers. However, studies have shown that they are viable sources of raw materials to food and beverage, health care, soap and detergent, pharmaceutical and industries. In addition, the essential oils  and crude extracts of some of these plants possess good in vitro and in vivo biological activities including antibacterial, antioxidant, antiepileptic, antibiabetic, anticancer, anti-nociceptive, anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, antiparasitic, insecticidal, lactogenic, larvicidal activities, and immunosuppressant agents, among others.

#	Certificate	School	Year
1.	Ph.D (Chemistry)	University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa, South Africa	2009

Problem plants can be profit plants: (A case study of medicinal weeds species) in Lagos State, Nigeria

Research ProblemMost plants are used as ornamentals due to the colour of their flowers and the fragrance the plant produces, while their medicinal potentials in curing diseases and healing injuries are neglected. Nigeria, especially, Lagos State has a remarkably rich heritage of indigenous and wide variety of these plants which are currently being underutilized. Investigation on these plants shows that, some have been extensively studied outside Nigeria. While, many others have however not been screened and little is known scientifically about them. Furthermore, plants of the same species, but from different locations shows discordance between the essence, due to climatic, seasonal and geographic conditions, harvest period, distillation technique, plant maturity at the time of oil production and the existence of chemotypic differences, among others. These variations are of distinct importance in the study of biological and pharmacological activities of these natural products, as their value in aromatherapy has to be related to their constituents. This as recently attracted the attention of many scientists and encouraged them to screen plants to study their activities from chemical, biological and pharmacological investigations to therapeutic aspects.Aims and ObjectivesAims Identification of medicinal weed species growing in Lagos State, Nigeria. Evaluation of the medicinal and economic values of these medicinal weed plants for sustainable economy and growth among rural dwellers.Objectives?Qualitative and quantitative characterization of the constituents of the extracts, scanning the possible sites of production of secondary metabolites and isolation of any novel compounds. ?Bioassay of extracts for the purpose of determining possible biological activities and evaluating the ethnomedicinal claims of the traditional healers through microbial assay.?To investigate the in vitro antioxidant and cytotoxicity properties of these species in order to evaluate their medicinal values.?To establish the medicinal and economic values of these medicinal weed plants for sustainable economy and growth among rural dwellers.Methods and ProceduresPlant CollectionSamples of plants and their various organs will be collected from well-documented sources. While, some samples will be purchased from indigenous botanical gardens, for comparison and authentication of what is being sold in the open market. Identification of the plant materials will be carried out at herbaria of Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Ibadan and Department of Botany, University of Lagos, Akoka-Yaba, Lagos. Voucher specimen of each plant under investigation will be preserved at the Forestry Research Institute Herbarium, Ibadan and Department of Botany, University of Lagos, Akoka-Yaba, Lagos.Detailed information on the sources, date of collection and time, amount in Kg and the medicinal uses of each plant sample will be documented.Phytochemical screeningBasic Phytochemical screening consists of simple chemical tests will be performed on the plant extracts to detect the presence of secondary metabolites.Extraction of plant materialsExtraction of crude extracts and fractions of different solvents, and essential oils will be carried out on the plant materials using different extraction methods.Scanning electron microscopy Scanning electron microscopy studies will be carried out on the plant materials to investigate the possible sites of production of secondary metabolites.Analysis and biological activities Constituents of the plant materials will form the main activities of this research work. In addition, validated in vitro methods will be used to screen the extracts for antimicrobial activity, which will serve as an indicator of the in vivo efficacy of extracts against micro-organisms. Furthermore, activities such as antioxidant, cytotoxicity, larvicidal, piscicidal, anti-inflammatory and anticonvulsant, among others will be carried on the extracts from the plant samples.Value of the research?Comparison of the data obtained from the Nigeria species with data obtained from other part of the world, in order to determine the variation in their constituents, because of differences in environmental and ecological factors.?To demonstrate the taxonomic and phytogenetic significance of the compositional patterns of the plant samples. ?To set guidelines for research on pharmacological and biological activities of the extracts with the aim of assessing whether they possesses a specific effect or a wider spectrum of action.Anticipated dissemination Results of the research will be disseminated through research papers at conferences, publications, seminars and patents.

LAWAL OLADIPUPO is a Associate Professor / Reader at the Department of Chemistry

LAWAL has a Ph.D in Chemistry from University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa, South Africa