Post Graduate Candidates
Mzabalazo Nsimbi(MSc Candidate)
BSc Biochemistry and Microbiology (UKZN),
BSc Hons Biochemistry (UKZN)
Telephone: 082 065 47 61
Email:
/ Brief Description of Research(Max. 100 words)
Warburgia salutaris is a traditional medicinal plant known to treat many alignments such as constipation, toothache, cancer, rheumatism and malaria. Our research group has isolated active compounds which have shown strong activity against malaria. In this research we wish to further evaluate the inhibitory effect of these bioactive compounds against the Plasmodium falciparum hypoxanthine-guanine-xanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (PfHGXPT) enzyme. PfHGXPT enzyme is a key target for malarial chemotherapy and therefore the inhibition of this enzyme can serve as a potential malarial chemotherapy.
Supervisor
Dr. M.B.C Simelane
Nontokozo Z Msomi (MSc Candidate)
BSc Biochemistry and physiology (UNISA),
BSc Medical Science Hons (UKZN)
Telephone: 083956 3599
Email:
/ Brief Description of Research (Max. 100 words)
The intended research study is entitled “Antidiabetic activity of Warburgia salutaris (Canellaceae)”. Diabetes mellitus is becoming a major health problem with its frequency increasing each day.There is an increasing anticipation for research in traditional medicine to obtain novel antidiabetic chemical compounds.W. salutaris is a medicinal plant used in treating variousailments. For the intended study, the stem bark of this plant will be isolated to obtain bioactive compounds. These compounds will be investigated for the inhibition of digestive enzymes which play part in the development of diabetes mellitus, and their metabolic effect on an animal model.
Supervisor
Dr. M.B.C Simelane
Zoxolo N. Nyaba (MSc Candidate)
BSc Biochemistry and Microbiology (University of Zululand),
BSc Hons Biochemistry (University of Zululand)
Telephone: 079220 3074
Email:
/ Brief Description of Research (Max. 100 words)
Malaria is a life-threatening disease, caused by parasitic protozoans in the plasmodium genus. Despite the advances that have been made in the treatment of this disease, it still remains a burden. Research has shown that about 80% of the rural African population depends mainly on traditional medicine to treat diseases. Warburgia salutaris is a medicinal plant used by Zulu traditional healers to treat several illnesses. This research focuses on the isolation and purification active compounds of W.salutaris, and testing them against the malaria parasite both in vitro and in vivo.
Supervisor
Dr. M.B.C Simelane
Sithabiso S Sibisi (MSc Candidate)
BSc Biochemistry and Microbiology (UKZN)
BSc Hons Biochemistry (UKZN)
Telephone: 078 576 0445
Email:
/ Brief Description of Research (Max. 100 words)
Breast cancer is known to be the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. For over two decades bioactive compounds isolated from medicinal plants have shown to assist in the treatment of breast cancer. Vernonia amygdalina is a small shrub that belong to the family of Asteraceae. The plant itself has been observed to possess many different compounds with outstanding health benefits containing anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties. However, there is little knowledge on the bioactive compounds of the plant against cancer. The aim of this study is to isolate and purify bioactive compounds from the plant.
Supervisors
Dr. MBC Simelane
Prof CU Niesler
Ayeni Gideon (Ph.D Candidate)
B.Sc (Hons) Biochemistry (UDUS)
M.Sc Biochemistry (UDUS)
Telephone: 0768317885
Email:
/ Brief Description of Research (Max. 100 words)
Hepatoprotective agents of plant origin are considered the best option for the treatment of liver diseases. The protective potential of some locally used medicinal plants have been tested with empirical findings showing rapid regeneration of damage hepatic cells. Available data have correlated the main cause of these degenerated diseases to “ROS”. Liver, a centralized organ, has been implicated in numerous metabolic reactions and a constant target for several substances. Strategies for discovery of hepatoprotective compounds that are devoid of side effects and mechanism by which they bring about their hepatoprotection remain the focal point in the present day researches.
Supervisors
Dr. MBC Simelane