Discipline: Biological Sciences
Subcategory: Plant Research
Simira Carothers - Jackson State University
Co-Author(s): Marcus Williams, Huaisheng Zhang, Danielle McShan, and Ifedayo Victor Ogungbe
Natural products have long since been utilized for their preventative and medicinal properties. The phytochemicals found in plants may be effective in the treatment of many diseases. The current research is to isolate and characterize the phytochemicals in Tabernaemontana Longipes, a neo-tropical plant, and to investigate the anti-trypanosomal properties of the plant. The resulting compounds are being analyzed and their structural features are being investigated using NMR and MS. The compounds will be tested for anti-parasitic activity as well as cytotoxicity using liver hepatocarcinoma cells (Hep G2). It is hoped that the pure compounds will display anti-parasitic properties against Trypanoma brucei, the causative organism of human African trypanosomiasis as well as display low toxicity towards mammalian cells. If proven effective, further research will be conducted to develop the compounds or their analogues as treatment for trypanosomiasis.
Not SubmittedFunder Acknowledgement(s): This research is supported by The National Institutes of Health (SC2GM109782 to IVO); Jackson State University department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Louis Stokes Mississippi Alliance for Minority Participation (LSMAMP) Program.
Faculty Advisor: Ifedayo V. Ogungbe, ifedayo.v.ogungbe@jsums.edu