By Bukola Imam
Prof. Olufunke Olorundare, of the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics of the University of Ilorin has disclosed that her groundbreaking research has discovered a new anti-cancer agent.
Olorundare stated this in Ilorin while delivering the 260th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Ilorin entitled: “In Sickness and Good Health: Pharmacology as System Medicine Research Primer”.
The don who teaches in the Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences of the University submitted that for the first time, the isolation of a rare Tetranorditerpene and its methyl ester derivative showed anti-leukemic activity.
“Although the derivative was more potent against human leukemia HL-60 cells. Acute leukemia accounts for approximately 30 percent of all childhood malignancies and is the most common cancer in children,” she said.
She submitted that the African bitter kola is explored for its anti cancer potentials on Melanoma and Keratinocyte carcinoma, both of which are very common skin cancers.
“Our study has identified ethyl acetate subtraction of kolaviron, the active components of bitter kola, to contain potent anti cancer phytochemicals for both forms of skin cancer.
“This fraction exerts it’s anti cancer activity via the modulation of autophagy-related genes leading to in cancer cell death,” she said.
The expert in Pharmacology submitted that leukemia is particularly a severe problem in Africa, and despite significant advances in the chemotherapeutic management of leukemia, many children and adults still die of this disease.
She observed that there is an unmet needs for agents with higher efficacy and reduced side effects, that are affordable in low-middle income countries to serve either as chemopreventive therapies or cytotoxic drugs.
Olorundare who quoted the World Health Organization 2020 report, postulated that more than three-quarters of the 20.4 million premature deaths, occuring betwee ages 30-70 years are due to non-communicable disease.
According to her, Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) and cancer were the leading causes of death in 127 countries.
“Cancer is a major epidemiological burden in both developed and developing countries. It ranks as leading cause of death and an important obstacle to increasing life expectancy in every country of the world,” she said.
The expert warns that tobacco smoking is strongly associated with lung, mouth and throat cancers, while alcohol drinking is associated with some increase in oral, esophageal, breast and other cancers.
According to her, diet low in fruits and vegetables are associated with increased risks of colon, breast and possibly other cancers, while population that consume food rich in fruits and vegetables have lower incidence of cancers.
The don therefore advised on the need for bio-prospecting of African medicinal plants and herbs, which should be made a pivotal agenda of the universities, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, (TETFUND), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Federal Ministry of Health.
