FACULTY OF PHARMACY

The outbreak of COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has created an urgent need for new and more effective antiviral agents, particularly those derived from natural sources. Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees (Acanthaceae), commonly known as the King of bitters, is a medicinal plant valued for its antiviral and immunomodulatory properties. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of phytochemicals from Andrographis paniculata as inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (PDB ID:7BV2) using molecular docking and ADMET predictions. The 3D structure of the SARS-CoV-2 protein was obtained from the RCSB PDB. Amino acids at the binding site of the protein were identified using PLIP. The protein was prepared for docking in BIOVIA Discovery Studio. Phytochemicals isolated from the plant and identified using GC-MS were downloaded from PubChem as SDF files and imported into PyRx for molecular docking. Post-docking interaction was analysed in BIOVIA Discovery Studio. The ADMET predictions of the phytochemicals were done using the Swiss ADME web server and ProTox-3.0. Molecular docking results from 90 isolated compounds and 23 compounds from GC-MS analysis revealed 27 isolated compounds with a binding affinity range of -6.9 to -8.5 kcal/mol against the target protein, as compared to the standard drug (Remdesivir Triphosphate) and co-crystallized ligand (F86) with binding affinities of -7.7 and -6.8 kcal/mol, respectively. These 27 compounds were selected for post-docking analysis and ADMET profiling. Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees (Acanthaceae) possesses phytoconstituents with potential inhibitory activity against the SARS-CoV-2 protein. Methyl 3,4-dicaffeoylquinate, identified as the top compound, along with 5-Hydroxy-7,2',6'-trimethoxyflavone, 5,7,2',6'- Tetrahydroxyflavone, and Apigenin showed good absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination (ADME), and a comparatively safe toxicity profile. Therefore, further experimental validation is required to confirm their therapeutic potential as antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2

Cardiovascular disorders, particularly hypertension, continue to pose major health challenges worldwide, necessitating the search for new therapeutic agents with improved efficacy and safety. Imidazole-based compounds have gained attention due to their diverse pharmacological profiles, including notable antibacterial, antifungal and antihypertensive properties. This study employed a computational screening approach to evaluate selected imidazole derivatives for potential antihypertensive activity, followed by the synthesis of a lead derivative (2,4,5-triphenyl-1H-imidazole). Molecular docking was conducted using PyRx (AutoDock Vina) to predict binding affinities and interaction profiles with key hypertension-related protein targets1O86, 4ZUD, 5XPR and 6L88). Several screened derivatives demonstrated strong binding affinities comparable to or higher than the reference drug, suggesting potential inhibitory activity through similar interaction mechanisms at the active site residues. In particular, 2,4,5-triphenyl-1H-imidazole, 1-benzoyl- 4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazole, and 2-(2-methoxyphenyl)-4,5 diphenyl-1H-imidazole showed the most favorable binding energies and stable protein–ligand interactions across all target proteins. ADMET profiling further indicated acceptable pharmacokinetic behavior for these candidates. The synthesized 2,4,5-triphenyl-1H-imidazole was obtained in a yield of 81.28% and was subjected to preliminary characterization, exhibiting a melting point of 269–272 °C.. The findings highlight promising imidazole structural features with potential antihypertensive relevance and support further synthesis, and biological evaluation of these compounds to advance drug development in hypertension management.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a major global health challenge characterized by high incidence and mortality rates. Emerging evidence supports the use of plant-derived bioactive compounds as promising agents in cancer therapeutics. This study aimed to assess the anticancer potential of phytoconstituents from Moringa oleifera, Olea europaea, Brassica oleracea, and Vitis vinifera against key colorectal cancer protein targets using in silico methods. Phytochemical constituents from these plants were compiled from literature and chemical databases, with their three-dimensional structures retrieved from PubChem. Target proteins implicated in colorectal carcinogenesis, including Human Thymidylate Synthase enzyme, 1HVY, and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), 1XKK, were prepared for docking using Biovia discovery studio. Molecular docking simulations were performed with AutoDock Vina in PyRx, evaluating binding affinities and ligand interactions at active sites. Post-docking analysis and ADMET predictions were done using Biovia discovery studio and ADMETLAB, respectively.

Fast-disintegrating tablets (FDTs) are tablets designed to dissolve rapidly when placed on the tongue resulting in quick disintegration of the drug into solution when in contact with saliva. This study aimed to formulate and evaluate fast disintegrating tablets of
diclofenac potassium using different concentrations of sodium starch glycolate (SSG) and croscarmellose sodium (CCS) as superdisintegrants.

Carica papaya is a widely recognized medicinal plant commonly employed in traditional medicine for the management of diverse health conditions. This study evaluated the phytochemical composition and sub-acute toxicological effects of C. papaya leaf ethanol extract in female Wistar rats. The leaves were collected, authenticated, and subjected to qualitative phytochemicai screening, which revealed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, saponins, cyanogenic glycosides, and anthraquinones, while tannins, cardiac glycosides, steroids, and triterpenes were absent. For the toxicological assessment, rats were orally administered C. papaya leaf extract at 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg daily for 28 days. Hematological analysis indicated mild modulation of immune parameters, with dose-dependent decreases in WBC and lymphocyte counts and increased neutrophils, while RBC indices remained stable. Biochemical assays revealed no significant alterations in renal (urea, creatinine) and liver (AST, ALT, ALP,bilirubin) markers, and serum protein levels were unaffected. Electrolyte profiles showed minor changes in potassium and bicarbonate levels without evidence of overt toxicity. Histopathological evaluation of major organs, including liver, kidney, spleen,lungs, heart, and uterus, demonstrated preserved architecture, with only minor adaptive cellular changes, such as slight hepatocyte enlargement and increased lymphoid follicle size in the spleen. Overall, sub-acute administration of C. papaya leaf ethanol extract at the tested doses exhibited no severe toxicity, suggesting that it is generally safe and may confer protective effects on multiple organ systems. These xii findings provide scientific support for the traditional use of C. papaya and warrant further pharmacological investigation

BACKGROUND: Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTIs), including conditions like the common cold, pharyngitis, and sinusitis, are predominantly viral in origin and often do not require antibiotics. However, antibiotics are frequently misused for URTIs due to patient demand, diagnostic uncertainty, or lack of awareness. This practice contributes to the global crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a major public health threat.University students, particularly in densely populated settings like the University of Benin, are vulnerable to URTIs due to close-contact living conditions, stress, and poor health- seeking behaviors. Studies suggest that due to factors such as academic pressure, easy of access to drugs, and limited health literacy students often resort to self-medication with antibiotics obtained without prescriptions, exacerbating resistance risks. OBJECTIVE : This project seeks to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding antibiotic use for URTIs among University of Benin students. By identifying gaps in awareness and inappropriate usage trends, the study will inform targeted interventions, such as educational campaigns and stricter medication dispensing policies, to curb antibiotic misuse in this population.
METHODS : After obtaining ethical approval from the Faculty of Pharmacy Ethics Committee, a cross sectional study was employed. The study employed the use of a structured questionnaire as the major instrument of data collection. The questionnaire was carefully developed to address the objectives of the study and distributed to students of four faculties including two medical oriented faculties (Pharmacy and Basic Medical Sciences) and two non medical oriented faculties (Education and Engineering). The data obtained was analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for social sciences, SPSS version 29.
RESULTS: 54.2% of the respondents were male, while 45.8% were female, indicating a fairly balanced gender representation. The majority of the respondents (49.0%) were between the ages of 21 and 25 years. The majority of the respondents (68.3%) reported having experienced a cold, sore throat, or cough within the past six months, Most of the respondents (78.4%) admitted to having used antibiotics to treat URTI, while 46.9% did not complete the
course, indicates a tendency toward incomplete antibiotic adherence among some participants. Majority (87.9%) obtained them from pharmacies and 64.5% of the respondents reported that they could purchase antibiotics without a prescription. Out of the total respondents, 275 (62.6%) demonstrated good knowledge, while 164 (37.4%) exhibited poor knowledge of antibiotic use. A majority (58.3%) reported that they keep leftover antibiotics for future use. Most respondents (72.9%) admitted to using antibiotics given by friends or family. CONCLUSION; The study results showed that although most students had experienced one or more URTI episodes, many engaged in improper antibiotic use, frequently self-medicating without valid prescriptions. The widespread misuse of antibiotics identified in this study represents a serious public health issue. While many students had a basic understanding of antibiotic use, misconceptions were common especially the false belief that antibiotics are effective against viral infections. Contributing factors included easy access to antibiotics without prescriptions, peer influence, prior antibiotic use, and limited awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Coordinated educational, clinical, and policy interventions are vital to promote the rational use of antibiotics and preserve their effectiveness for future generations

Hyperlipidemia is a major risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease(ASCVD), necessitating multi-target therapeutic strategies to counter excessivecholesterol synthesis, absorption, and poor triglyceride clearance (Ray et al., 2023). Given the side effects and limitations of synthetic lipid-lowering drugs, this in silicostudy evaluated phytochemicals from five Nigerian plants (Ocimumgratissimum, Laurus nobilis, Cymbopogon citratus, Piper guineense, and Psidiumguajava) as
natural antilipidemic agents. Molecular docking assessed the binding affinity ($\DeltaG$) of over 100 compounds against five key targets of lipid metabolism: 3-Hydroxy- 3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A Reductase (HMG-CoA Reductase, PDB ID1HWK), Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma (PPAR-$\gamma$, PDBID6ENQ), PPAR-$\delta$ (PDB ID 7WGN), Hydroxycarboxylic Acid Receptor 2(HM7A4, PDB ID 8K5B), and Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1 (NPC1L1, PDBID7DFZ). Promising hits demonstrating superior binding to established clinical standards werethen subjected to ADMET (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, andToxicity) profiling to predict their pharmacokinetic and safety profiles. The screeningidentified several compounds displaying significantly stronger binding affinities thantheir respective clinical standards. Notably, the Laurus nobilis constituent, CID91274708, showed unparalleled affinity for PPAR-$\delta$ (-8.57 kcal/mol), substantially surpassing the Pemafibrate standard (-7.16 kcal/mol). The potent HMG- CoA Reductase inhibitor, CID 165359504, also demonstrated robust binding (-7.86kcal/mol) against the Atorvastatin standard (-5.40 kcal/mol), suggesting a novel poly- glycosidic scaffold for inhibition. Furthermore, the NPC1L1 inhibitor, CID72
viii
(Psidium guajava), showed enhanced binding (-5.18 kcal/mol) comparedtoEzetimibe (-4.51 kcal/mol). ADMET analysis confirmed that the prioritizedcompounds, notably CID 91274708 and CID 72, possessed ideal pharmacokineticprofiles, while successfully filtering out candidates with high predicted toxicological risks, such as the genotoxic CID 6037 (Mohamed et al., 2024). The results validatethe potential of compounds from Nigerian medicinal plants as structurally diverse, high-affinity leads for multi-target antilipidemic therapy, providing a computational basis for future in vitro and in vivo studies aimed at drug discovery (Yadav et al., 2021).

Background: Self emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) offer a means of enhancingthebioavailability and therapeutic efficacy of drugs with poor water solubility ; Evaluationaselfemulsifying drug delivery system of diclofenac potassium using Castor oil as the lipid phase. Method: Six batches of SEDDS labelled SD1, SD2, SD3, SD4, SD5, and SD6 were preparedbyincorporating diclofenac potassium in SEDDS bases of Castor oil and Tween 80 at varyingcomponent ratios. The resulting formulations were evaluated for their self-emulsificationperformance upon dilution with water by visual inspection and classified according to standardemulsion grading criteria (Grade A, B, or C). They were evaluated for their self-emulsificationperformance, thermodynamic stability and Absorbance values. Result: The emulsification performance demonstrated significant variability across the batches, with formulation SD1 successfully forming a highly stable Grade A emulsion, indicatingrapidand fine self-microemulsification. Conversely, formulations SD2 and SD3 yielded a satisfactoryGrade B emulsion, whereas formulations SD4, SD5 and SD6 resulted in a milky GradeCemulsion, signifying poor emulsification performance. Formulations SD1 - SD3 showedgoodstability, while SD4 – SD6 showed poor stability. The batches had absorbance values whichranged from 0.583 ± 0.154 to 0.719 ± 0.190 showing considerable drug entrapment. Conclusion: The optimal performance of SD1 demonstrates that diclofenac potassiumcanbeeffectively formulated into a stable SEDDS using castor oil, offering a practical approachforimproved in vitro dissolution and enhanced potential for clinical absorption. Keywords: Diclofenac potassium, SEDDS, Self-emulsifying, Castor oil, Tween 80, Dissolutionenhancement, Bioavailability

Background: Artemether-lumefantrine (AL) is the first-line treatment for uncomplicated malaria throughout Nigeria. The rise of substandard and falsified medicines endangers patient safety, effective treatment, and antisubstitution for decreased susceptibility to effective treatment. This study evaluated in-vitro pharmaceutical quality of artemether￾lumefantrine brands that are marketed in Benin City. Methods: Sixteen (16) brands of artemether-lumefantrine tablets were procured from Patented and Proprietary Medicine Vendors (PPMVs) and retail pharmacies licensed through NAFDAC throughout Benin City. Samples were evaluated based on pharmacopoeial standards of visual/organoleptic packaging and tablet assessment, weight uniformity, tablet hardness, friability, disintegration time, in-vitro dissolution and assay for % purity of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Results: All 16 brands were NAFDAC-approved and presently active. All samples passed critical evaluative tests associated with weight uniformity, dissolution (all >80% in 60 min), and % purity (assay) with all brands within pharmacopoeial standards of 90.0% - 110.0% meaning active pharmaceutical ingredients are accounted for. However, significant quality concerns were raised as 1 brand (Biolumefar) failed the friability test (3.00% weight loss) due to compromised mechanical integrity. 1 brand (Contrine plus) failed disintegration time analysis as the average time elapsed was >30 min according to pharmacopoeial standards. Finally, a statistically significant difference was found in tablet hardness across all brands (range: 6.50 LP to 11.33 kP). xi
Conclusion: Overall, findings present inconsistent quality. While it is a positive outcome that no brands failed the assay for content of active ingredients, the failure of two brands in the most critical physical assessments - one for friability and one for disintegration -indicates inferior manufacturing processes and quality control standards. Therefore, there is a continued need for post-market surveillance from NAFDAC to ensure all AL products in circulation are quality compliant to avoid malarial treatment failures secondary to drug resistance

Species belonging to the Cola genus (Malvaceae) are common across tropical regions of Africa and are well known for their use in traditional medicine, particularly for managing infections, inflammatory conditions, and disorders linked to oxidative stress. Several species are also valued in folk practices for their stimulating, antiemetic, and antiproliferative effects. This study investigates the phytochemical profile, as well as the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, of the 70% ethanolic stem bark extract of Cola rostrata. The plant material was collected from Amapu-Igbengwo village, Umuakpara, Abia State, Nigeria. It was air-dried,
pulverized, and extracted using 70% ethanol by maceration. Identification and quantification studies were achieved via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on a C-12 column with a water–acetonitrile gradient, using 280 nm as detection wavelength. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis employed a DB-5MS column with helium as a carrier gas and compound identification was supported by NIST library matching. Antioxidant capacity was evaluated using DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and TAC assays. Antibacterial activity was determined through agar well diffusion and dilution techniques
against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis,, and Enterobacter cloacae. The mode of antibacterial action was determined by calculating the MBC/MIC ratio for susceptible isolates.