"Phytoconstituents and Antioxidant Activities of Selected Medicinal Plants with Potentials in the Management of COVID-19 and Related Diseases" Mr. Andrew Lucky Okoh 10th African Regional RCE Meeting 1 & 15 September, 2020

1. Phytoconstituents and Antioxidant Activities of Selected Medicinal Plants with Potentials in the Management of Covid-
19 and Related Diseases
By
Mr. Andrew L. Okoh, Prof. Abdullahi Mann, Prof. Yahaya A. Iyaka, Prof. Adamu Y. Kabiru
Federal University of Technology, Minna
15th September, 2020
Introduction
 COVID 19 has been defined as a mild to severe respiratory illness that is caused by SARS-CoV 2 (CDC, 2019), characterised by fever,
shortness of breath and cough which may progress to pneumonia and respiratory failure or even death (Huang et al., 2020).
COVID 19 disease has been shown to lead to reduction in oxygen saturation (Teo, 2020), which will induce the increased production of
superoxide radical and hydrogen peroxide by the mitochondria and the production of hydroxyl radical (Prauchner, 2017).
Studies show that the progression of COVID 19 disease towards fatality could be largely mediated by ROS (Cecchini and Cecchini, 2020;
Jerzy et al., 2014)
Thus suggesting the potential benefit of the use of effective and safe antioxidants in the management of COVID 19 cases (Michel et al.,
2020).
Hence this study of the phytoconstituents and antioxidant properties of some selected medicinal plants which have been used traditionally
for purposes related to oxidative stress

2. • post-partum treatment
• Fever
• Sores & Burns
• Diuretic
• inflammation
• Cold
• Antimicrobial
• Hypoglycemic
• Anti-inflammatory
Phyllanthus reticulatus (Potato Bush)
• Respiratory Ailments
• Cough
• Fever
• Inflammation
• Cold
• Wounds & Toothache
• Anti-malarial
• Anti-leishmanial
• Antioxidant
• Cough
• Fever
• Pain
• Cold
• Swellings
• Antipyretic
• Anyimicrobial
• Antioxidant
• Anti-inflammatory
• Gastroprotective
Maytenus senegalensis (Spike Thorn)
Terminalia avicennioides
Traditional Medicinal Uses Pharmacological Activities
• Antipyretic
• Analgesic
• Antioxidant
• Anti-inflammatory
• Cough
• Fever
• Ulcers and sores
• Cold
• Bloody sputum Vitex simplicifolia (Beach Vitex)

3. Experimental Methods
S/No Test Reference
1 Detection of phenols Mir et al. (2013)
2 Detection of tannin Ara et al. (2010)
3 Detection of flavonoids Tiwari et al (2011)
4 Detection of terpenoids Santhi and Sengottuvel (2016)
Qualitative Phytochemical Screening of Extracts
S/No Test Reference
1 Determination of total phenolic content Zovko et al. (2010).
2 Determination of flavonoid content Omoruyi et al. (2012).
3 Determination of tannin content Jyotismita et al. (2015)
S/No Test Reference
1 Nitric Oxide Scavenging
Activity Assay
Hullati et al. (2011)
2 DPPH (1, 1- diphenyl-2-
picrylhydrazyl) Decolouration
Assay
Shah et al. (2013)
3 Total Reducing Potential Assay Hemaletha and Kumar (2011)
One way
ANOVA with
Post Hoc test
Antioxidant Activity Screening of the Extracts
Quantitative Phytochemical Screening of Extracts

4. • Phenols (Ph)
• Flavonoids (Fl)
• Tannins (Ta)
• Terpinoids
Ph: L=68.9; F=169.83
Fl: L = 41.83; F =48.87
Ta: L =11.13; F =14.17
Phyllanthus reticulatus (Potato Bush)
• Phenols (Ph)
• Flavonoids (Fl)
• Tannins (Ta)
• Terpinoids
Ph: L=156.1; F=150.47
Fl: L = 49.73;F =25.77
Ta: L = 12.43:F=11..17
•
• Phenols (Ph)
• Flavonoids (Fl)
• Tannins (Ta)
• Terpinoids
Ph: L=65.17;F=71.83
Fl: L = 28.8; F =24.23
Ta: L =10; F =9.8
Maytenus senegalensis (Spike Thorn)
Terminalia avicennioides
Qualitative Screening Quantitative Screening
Ph: L=65.4;F=58.56
Fl: L =23.9; F =19.73
Ta: L = 10.4;F =10.47
• Phenols (Ph)
• Flavonoids (Fl)
• Tannins (Ta)
• Terpinoids
Vitex simplicifolia (Beach Vitex)
TRP: L=39.4 F=53.6
NO.: L = 39.6; F =48.5
DPPH: L =34.6; F =41.6
TRP: L=63.5; F=34.1
NO.: L = 63.7; F =31.3
DPPH: L =55.3; F =22.5
TRP: L=32.5; F=18.7
NO.: L = 38.4; F =19.8
DPPH: L =22.5; F =6.0
TRP: L=21.2; F=19.7
NO.: L = 22.4; F =1.4
DPPH: L =8.6; F =6.4
Antioxidant Activity of CrudeRESULTS
* L = Leaves; F = Fruits

5. Total Reducing Potential
DPPH Radical Scavenging Activity
Antioxidant Activity of Solvent Soluble Fractions
Nitric Oxide Scavenging Activity

6. Discussion
Reduction in oxygen
saturation by COVID 19
Leads to Increased
production of
superoxide radical and
hydrogen peroxide by
the mitochondria and
production of hydroxyl
radical
Progression of
COVID 19 disease
towards fatality could
be largely mediated
by ROS
The flavonoid constituent(s) of
the EtAc fraction of M.
senegalensis leaves’ extract could
have contributed to its high
antioxidant activity
The antioxidant constituent(s) of
the EtAc fraction of M.
senegalensis leaves’ extract could
therefore be of benefit in the
treatment of COVID 19.
Thus the potential benefit
of the use of effective and
safe antioxidants in the
management of COVID 19
cases
EtAc fraction of M.
senegalensis leaves’
extract have more than
twice the antioxidant
activity of Ascorbic acid
and α – tocopherol

7. Conclusion and Recommendations
This study
suggests a
significant
contribution of
flavonoid content
to the antioxidant
activity of the
EtAc fraction
Maytenus
senegalensis
leaves
Further purification
would be required to
isolate and
characterize the
antioxidant
constituent(s).
The flavonoid
content of the
EtAc fraction
Maytenus
senegalensis
leaves’ extract
could contribute to
its potential benefit
in the treatment of
COVID 19

8. References
• Ang, L., Song, E. & Lee, M.S. (2020). Herbal medicine for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 19): A
systematic review and meta analysis of randomized clinical trials. Journal of Clinical Medicine, retrieved 26th August
2020 from https://www.ncbi.nim.nih.gov
• Ayaz, M., Junaid, M., Ahmed, J., Ullah, F., Sadiq, A., Ahmad, S. & Imran, M. (2014). Phenolic contents, antioxidants and
anticholinesterase potentials of crude extract, subsequent fractions and crude saponins from Polygonum
hydropiper L. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 14, 145-163.
• CDC (2019). Outbreak of illness, novel coronavirus, Wuhan, China. Centre for Disease Control Report, retrieved
27th January 2020 from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html
• Cecchini, R. & Cecchini A. (2020). SARS-CoV-2 infection pathogenesis is related to oxidative stress as a response to
aggression. Medical Hypothesis, 143, 562 -568.
• Huang, C., Wang, Y., Li, X. Et al. (2020). Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan,
China. Lancet, 395, 497 – 506.
• Gulcin, I. (2012). Antioxidant activity of food constituents- an overview. Archives of Toxicology, 86 (3), 339-345.

9. THANKS
FOR
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