FACULTY OF PHARMACY

Background: Pain and inflammation remain major health concerns that reduce quality of life despite many available treatments. Diclofenac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, and orphenadrine, a centrally acting muscle relaxant, target different pain pathways. This study investigates whether their combined use enhances analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, offering a safer and more effective approach to pain management. Method: Twenty-four Swiss albino mice were divided into four groups to receive saline, diclofenac (50 mg/kg), orphenadrine (25 mg/kg) and ophenadrine-diclofenac (25 mg/kg-50 mg/kg). Analgesic effects were assessed using the acetic acid–induced writhing and hole- board tests, while COX inhibition was evaluated using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay. Data were expressed as Mean ± SEM and analyzed using one-way ANOVA, with significance set at p < 0.05. Result: Diclofenac (1.67 ± 0.76), orphenadrine (2.17 ± 0.95), and their combination (0.00 ± 0.00) significantly reduced writhes compared to control (6.00 ± 1.53; p < 0.05). COX-2 levels were markedly lower in diclofenac (88.32 ± 1.18), orphenadrine (27.59 ± 2.26), and combination (68.30 ± 1.43) treated groups versus control (95.26 ± 1.88). In the hole-board test, the combination group (24.33 ± 1.59) maintained head dips comparable to the control group. Conclusion: Diclofenac and orphenadrine provide complementary pain relief, with diclofenac acting peripherally and orphenadrine centrally. Their combination synergistically abolished writhing, balanced COX-2 activity, and preserved normal exploratory behaviour. These results highlight the diclofenac–orphenadrine combination as an effective multimodal analgesic that enhances pain control while supporting central function.

Benign prostate hyperplasia is a disease of ageing men. Oxidative stress is a promoter of the ageing process. This study evaluated the effect of the ethanol seed extract of Persea Americana (PAE) on antioxidant and lipid per oxidation status of male rats induced with benign prostate hyperplasia and spectroscopic analysis of the extract. Five groups of five rats each were induced
with benign prostate hyperplasia by the subcutaneous administration of testosterone (3mg/kg). Group 1 rats (negative control) received 10 ml/kg of distilled water. Group 2 animals (standard control) were treated with finasteride (4mg /kg). Groups 3, 4 and 5 received 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg dose of PAE respectively. Groups 6 animals (normal control) were neither induced nor
treated. All administration was daily for 28 days by oral gavage. Rats were sacrificed on the 29 th day, blood obtained, and serum enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (Gsr) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were measured with Elisa assay test kits. Malondialdehyde concentration was equally measured. High-Performance Liquid
Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-MS) was used to identify compounds present in PAE. The extract significantly (P<0.0001) increased the activities of SOD, CAT, GPx and Grs compared to the negative control at the dose of 400 mg/kg while MDA concentration was significantly reduced. Digoxin, tetramethylquercetin and abscisic acid were identified in PAE

Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD’s) remain the dominant course of mortality in developed and developing countries. Due to changing life styles, socio-economic status and decline in provision of healthcare services in developing countries such as Nigeria, myocardial infraction is making a significant contribution to national healthcare burden and mortality statistics.
Aim: This present study evaluated the effect of aqueous extract of Gnetum africanum on some cardiac function biomarkers in isoprenaline-induced myocardial infarction in rats.
Methodology: Acute toxicity test and haemotological and biochemical analysis of the extract was done using standard methods. Wister rates aged 2 – 3 months weighing 150 to 200 grams were acclimatized for 2 weeks and grouped into 4 (A– D) groups. B and C orally received graded doses of extracts (B = 50, C = 100, mg/kg body weight) daily for 28 days. Group A served as control and group D served as standard group 2ml/kg of cargradenol Blood samples (5ml) were collected into ethylene diamine tetracetic acid (EDTA) containers and analysed using haemetological automety following manufacturers guidelines. Isoprenaline was induced 85mg/kg on 26th and 27th day in all groups.
Result Gnetum africanium extract displayed no accurate toxicity up to 5g/kg; at doses of 50mg/kg and 100mg/kg, it demonstrated no significant effects on cardiac biomarkers when compared with the control against isoprenaline-induced myocardial injury in rats across parameters including organ weight, body weight changes, cardiac biomarkers and oxidative-antioxidant balances

The meaning of probiotics has been altered with expanding information in the field of how they work. (Thantsha, 2012) The term is gotten from the Greek language meaning 'for life. In the past, there have been many endeavors to characterize the term probiotic, one of the first being portrayed by Lilly and Stillwell in 1965 (Thantsha, 2012) . They defined probiotics as “substances secreted by one microorganism, which stimulates the growth of another”. The focal point of this definition was to recognize them and clarify that they are something contrary to antibiotics. Hence, in 1974, Parker characterized them as “organisms and substances which contribute to intestinal microbial balance” (Schrezenmier & de Vrese, 2001). In 1989, Fuller tried to improve on Parker’s definition by proposing the following definition: “live microbial feed supplement, which beneficially affects the host (animal or human) by improving its intestinal microbial balance” (Salminen et al, 1999; Vilsiljevic & Shah, 2008). Then, Havenaar & Huis In’t Veld (1992) defined probiotics acceptably as ‘a viable mono- or mixed culture of microorganisms which applies to animal or man, beneficially affects the host by improving the properties of the indigenous microflora’. Schrezenmeir & de Vrese (2001) defined the term probiotic as “a preparation of or a product containing viable, defined microorganisms in sufficient numbers, which alter the microflora by implantation or colonization, in a compartment of the host and by that, exert beneficial effects on host health”. Among these depictions and definitions, there were numerous others,

Malaria is a life-threatening disease spread to humans by some types of mosquitoes. It is mostly found in tropical countries. It is preventable and curable. Because current medication have begun to lose their effectiveness due to resistance in the causative agent, Plasmodium, there is need to develop new antimalarial lead candidates. Using an in silico approach, this study aimed to explore the bioactive compounds present in the Piper guineense and Chrysobalanus icaco with the possibility of inhibiting plasmepsin II (PDB ID:1LF3), a drug target protein of Plasmodium falciparum. Dihydroartemisinin was used as a positive control in
this study to explore the possible function of plasmepsin II. The software used include; PyRx, PyMol, ProTox-3.0, Biovia Discovery Studio 2020, and SwissADME web server; the databases used were Protein Data Bank (PDB) and PubChem. The docking study revealed that β-Cubebene (P. guineense) and Spiro[androst-5-ene-17,1'- cyclobutan]-2'-one, 3-hydroxy-, (3beta,17beta)- (C. icaco) have the highest binding free energies of -7.4kcal/mol and -9.1kcal/mol respectively with the target protein, Plasmepsin II. Compounds from Piper guineense; Epiglobulol, (-)-alpha-Copaene, Agarospirol, 4,6,6- Trimethyl-2-(3-methylbuta-1,3-dienyl)-3-oxatricyclo[5.1.0.0(2,4)]octane, Bulnesol had similar amino acid interaction as the positive control, Dihydroatremisinin (DHA) but with however lower binding affinities compared to it. In conclusion, compounds from Piper guineense presented with more promising bioactive compounds for antimalarial drug development. Further analytical study can, therefore be done
to establish evidence of concept and promote the development of new antimalarial lead candidates.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the gradual loss of dopaminergic neurons within the substantia nigra pars compacta, leading to dopamine depletion, oxidative stress, and motor dysfunction. Despite advances in neuropharmacology, current treatment options remain largely symptomatic and fail to halt disease progression. This has intensified the search for novel neuroprotective agents, particularly from natural sources. Afzelia africana, a medicinal plant traditionally used across West Africa for the management of inflammatory and oxidative stress-related conditions, contains phytochemicals such as flavonoids, tannins, and terpenoids that may possess neuroprotective properties. This study investigated the neuroprotective and histopathological effects of the ethanolic stem bark extract of Afzelia africana in a rotenone-induced Parkinsonism model using male Wistar rats. The plant material was extracted by cold maceration in ethanol and subjected to qualitative phytochemical screening. Acute toxicity was evaluated using a modified Lorke’s method. The animals used for this study were randomly distributed in 5 different treatment groups, namely: control (no treatment), vehicle alone, rotenone and vehicle, rotenone and 250 mg/kg Afzelia africana extract and rotenone and 500 mg/kg Afzelia africana extract. Animals in all groups received the different drug treatments daily while those in the last three groups received 1 mg/kg of rotenone on days 1,4,7 and 10. Neurobehavioural performance was assessed using the wire hanging and elevated plus maze tests on days 0, 5 and 10. On the 11th day, animals were sacrificed via ketamine injection, organs were harvested, weighed and preserved in formalin and used for histopathological studies. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of saponins, glycosides, terpenoids, alkaloids, tannins, and phenolic compounds; the LD50 was estimated to be than 5000 mg/kg. Rotenone administration caused marked impairment in motor coordination and increased anxiety-like behaviour; however, treatment with A. africana extract significantly improved (p<0.05) motor strength, prolonged latency to fall in the wire hanging test, and enhanced open-arm exploration in the elevated plus maze. Histopathological examination of the striatum showed that A. africana attenuated neuronal atrophy and pyknosis, while also ameliorating hepatic and renal alterations induced by rotenone exposure. The findings demonstrate that the ethanolic stem bark extract of Afzelia africana possesses neuroprotective and anxiolytic activities suggesting its potential as a promising natural therapeutic candidate drug discovery.

Background:Drug therapy problems(DTPs)are a major healthcare challenge which are associated with increased cost of treatment, misdiagnosis, increased length of hospitalization, decreased patient satisfaction with care and increased morbidity and mortality. Pharmacists play a crucial role in optimising medication use and improving patient outcomes within hospitals. Their clinical interventions span medication reconciliation, drug-drug interaction identification, dosage adjustments, and therapeutic optimisation.However,the extent and impact of these interventions often remain undocumented hindering both individual
pharmacist accountability and the evaluation of pharmacy services on patient care. Objectives: The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the drug therapy problem documented by clinical pharmacists at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital(UBTH) Benin between April 2015 and April 2024.Method:This is a retrospective cross-sectional study conducted in thirteen pharmacy
departments of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital(UBTH),Benin. All DTPs identified and interventions made by clinical pharmacists evidenced by documentation were extracted. Descriptive statistics were used for the analysis of clinical pharmacist interventions.The prescribers’ acceptance rate of the pharmacists' recommendation on the identified drug therapy problem was calculated by dividing the number of accepted interventions by the total number of interventions and then multiplying by 100.
Result: A total of 986 drug therapy problems were identified during the study with 48.17% of them being identified in 2023 as compared to 0% drug therapy problems in 2017. Between 2015 and 2020, only 189 DTPs were documented across the various pharmacy departments.COPD-NHIS documented the most DTPs with 135 drug therapy problems representing 13.7% v of the total DTPs documented while Main Theatre pharmacy recorded the fewest DTPs, accounting for only 1.4% (14) of the DTPs. Dosage too high is the most prevalent DTP occurring 363 times representing 36.8% whereas inappropriate adherence is the least prevalent occurring 15 times and accounting for 1.5% of the DTPs. About 22.2% (219) of these interventions were directetowards paediatrics (below 12 years) and 31.7% (313) to adults (>19 years). Antibiotics were the most affected drug occurring 249 times accounting for 25.1% of the drugs affected.It's closely followed by antihypertensives occurring 103 representing10.4%and closely followed by centrally acting drugs with 91 occurrences accounting for 9.2% of the drugs affected. About 22.1% (218) of the interventions were directed towards the males and 29.0% (286) towards the females. Of the 986 DTPs recorded, the prescribers were contacted 851 times and they accepted 847 pharmacists’ recommendations.Conclusion: Over a decade, the documented drug therapy problems (DTPs) were surprisingly low for a major teaching hospital. A review of the recorded DTPs revealed a notable proportion occurred in females, while a smaller proportion affected males, and a significant number lacked gender documentation.A significant proportion of the interventions were focused on pediatric patients under12years old, while a notable proportion was directed toward adults over 19 years old. All 7 classes of DTPs were represented with a dosage too high being the most prevalent DTP while inappropriate adherence is the least prevalent.All drug therapy problems recorded were resolved.The prescribers demonstrated a remarkably high acceptance rate of the pharmacists'recommendations for the identified drugtherapy problem, with nearly all suggested interventions being implemented, indicating a strong collaborative approach to addressing drug therapy problems

Uterine fibroids also known as leiomyomas are the most common benign tumors of the female reproductive tract which is mostly seen in women of reproductive age. Tetrapleura tetraptera is mostly used in herbal medicine for the management and/or control of a wide range of human ailments, which includes arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.This study aimed at evaluating the anti-fibroid potential of the ethanol extract of the stem bark of Tetrapleura tetraptera plant on monosodium glutamate induced fibroid in Sprague-Dawley rats.The objective of the study was to evaluate the ability of the extract to reduce Monosodium glutamate induced increase in cholesterol, total protein and estradiol respectively. The study also assessed the effect of the extract in ameliorating leiomyoma formation through histological studies. The stem bark of Tetrapleura tetraptera were dried, pulverized by milling, extracted using soxhlet apparatus and concentrated using a water bath. The percentage of the extract obtained from the bark of Tetrapleura tetraptera was 21.27% after extraction. For the preventive treatment the rats were divided into five groups (A, B, C, D, and E), of five rats each. Group A (control) received only food and water. In other to stimulate uterine fibroid, groups B, C, D, and E were given 800 mg/kg of MSG for 30 days. Then, groups C, D, and E were also given 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg of T. tetraptera stem bark extract, respectively alongside the MSG, once daily for 30 days. For the curative treatment; Five rats divided into groups labelled A,B,C,D and E respectively were used. Group A (control) received only food and water. In other to stimulate uterine fibroid, groups B, C, D, and E were given 800 mg/kg of MSG for 30 days. Then, groups C, D, and E were also given 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg of the extract respectively once daily from the 31st day for another 30 days after which the animals were sacrificed on the 61st day.All administration was done by the means of oral gavage. The animals were sacrificed, blood samples were collected and assessed.Histopathology studies of the uterus in addition to serum total protein, total cholesterol and estradiol levels were determined. Significant increase in cholesterol and estradiol levels were observed in MSGtreated animals in relation to the groups treated with the extract in both treatment groups.There was no significant difference in the protein levels when different concentrations groups were compared to MSG group (p>0.05).The extract prevented and also led to a mild reversal of these biomarkers in the curative group of this study.MSG also resulted in endometrial epithelium distortion and lamina propria fibrosis while the extract ameliorated the distortion observed in the
uterus. These findings suggest that T. tetraptera stem bark extract contains bioactive constituents that are useful in having amore preventive effect than curative effect in the management of fibroid as it reduces serum hormone levels which play roles in the etiology of uterine fibroid

Introduction: Ear infections, particularly otitis media, represent a common health concern globally, impacting individuals across diverse demographics. In developing countries like Nigeria, the prevalence and incidence of ear infections and demographics is not well documented. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, bacterial etiology, susceptibility patterns, and associated factors of ear infections among patients presenting with otitis symptoms thus contributing to the wealth of available knowledge on ear infections.
Methodology: This study evaluated 43 patients who visited the Ear, Nose and Throat clinic in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital for washing and check-up of their ear. Patient data and specimen were obtained at the study centre. Microbiology analysis as well as antimicrobial susceptibility and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration determination were carried out in the specimen at the Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology laboratory of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, using standard techniques.
Results: Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeroginosa accounted for the most predominant isolates from the specimens obtained from participants with vary susceptibility to commonly used antibiotics. Furthermore, results obtained revealed the presence of Klebsiella oxytoca and Enteriobacteria in the ear of respondents which is in contrast to what already exist in literature.
Conclusion: The study demonstrated the activity of specific antibiotics against bacteria isolates from ear infections both Gram-positive and Gram-negative present in the ear of patients in the study center.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the interaction between Beta Cleanser Bitters and two antibiotics, ciprofloxacin and amoxicillin. Method: Commercial brands of Ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin and Beta Cleanser Bitters were purchased and evaluated for the physiochemical properties. The interaction between the antibiotics and Beta Cleanser Bitters were evaluated using the disintegration time test and dissolution studies. Further interactions studies were carried out using absorbance inference studies and FTIR studies. Results: The presence of Beta Cleanser Bitters showed no contrasting effects on the disintegration times of the two drugs. For ciprofloxacin in the presence of Beta Cleanser Bitters, the dissolution drug release remained relatively stable and no significant difference while for amoxicillin there was a decrease in drug release in the presence of the bitters. FTIR analysis revealed similarity in spectra, suggesting minimal chemical interactions between amoxicillin and Beta Cleanser Bitters and for Ciprofloxacin, revealed difference in spectra, indicating an interaction. Conclusion: The study suggests that Beta Cleanser Bitters may exert some influence on the dissolution and disintegration behavior of ciprofloxacin and amoxicillin, though chemical interactions appear to be limited