Despite the frightening mortality rate associated with COVID-19, there is no known approved drug to effectively combat the pandemic. COVID-19 clinical manifestations include fever, fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, and other complications. At present, there is no known effective treatment or vaccine that can mitigate/inhibit SARS-CoV-2. Available clinical intervention for COVID-19 is only palliative and limited to support. Thus, there is an exigent need for effective and non-invasive treatment. This article evaluates the possible mechanism of actions of SARS-CoV-2 and present Nigeria based medicinal plants which have pharmacological and biological activities that can mitigate the hallmarks of the pathogenesis of COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 mode of actions includes hyper-inflammation characterized by a severe and fatal hyper-cytokinaemia with multi-organ failure; immunosuppression; reduction of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) to enhance pulmonary vascular permeability causing damage to the alveoli; and further activated by open reading frame (ORF)3a, ORF3b, and ORF7a via c-Jun N- terminal kinase (JNK) pathway which induces lung damage. These mechanisms of action of SARS-CoV-2 can be mitigated by a combination therapy of medicinal herbs based on their pharmacological activities. Since the clinical manifestations of COVID-19 are multifactorial with co-morbidities, we strongly recommend the use of combined therapy such that two or more herbs with specific therapeutic actions are administered to combat the mediators of the disease.

Background: Disruption of electrolyte, redox and neurochemical homeostasis alongside cellular energy crisis is a hallmark of cerebral ischaemia and reperfusion injury. Purpose: This study investigated the effect of kolaviron (KV) on cortical and striatal cation imbalance, oxidative stress and neurochemical disturbances as well as neurobehavioural deficits in animals subjected to bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO)-induced ischaemia/reperfusion injury. Methods: KV was administered at a dose of 100 or 200 mg/kg to male Wistar rats 1 h before a 30 min BCCAO/4 h reperfusion (I/R). This was followed by neurobehavioral assessment and biochemical evaluations of cation levels, oxidative stress indicators, lactate dehydrogenase activity and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the brain of animals. Conclusion: KV significantly restored altered cortical and striatal Ca²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺ and Mg²⁺ levels, ameliorated redox imbalance, lactic acidosis and modified AChE activity caused by I/R injury. The favourable neurobehavioural effects of KV correlated with biochemical outcomes. The pharmacological potential of KV in the treatment and management of ischemic stroke and allied pathological conditions via multiple targets (neurotransmitter metabolism, bioenergetic failure and ionic homeostasis) is highlighted by the study.

The outbreak of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 is increasing with an alarming rate of associated frightening mortality without no known approved therapy. The emergence of new infectious diseases and increase in frequency of drug resistant viruses demand effective and novel therapeutic agents. This study investigated the putative inhibitory potentials of apigenin, fisetin, kolaflavanone, and remdesivir towards SARS-COV2 major protease (6LU7) using in silico methods. Pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and toxicological profiles of the compounds were also examined using the pkCSM server. All the compounds showed good affinity to the binding pocket of 6LU7. It was observed that kolaflavanone exhibited the highest binding affinity when compared to apigenin, fisetin, and remdesivir. The amino acids ASN238, TYR237, LEU286, and LEU287 were showed as the key residues for kolaflavanone binding to human SARS-COV2 major protease. The Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics results suggested that all the tested compounds have significant drug likeness properties and they could be absorbed through the human intestine. Additionally, all the tested compounds except remdesivir are not hepatoxic and also displayed non or relatively low toxic effects in human. Summarily, the results of this study indicated that all the tested compounds are potential putative inhibitors of SARS-COV2 major protease with no or low toxicity effects. However, further experimental and clinical studies are needed to further explore their activities and validate their efficacies against COVID-19.

Ulcerative colitis (UC), a subcategory of inflammatory bowel diseases, affects more than 2 million people globally. This study sought to investigate the curative ability of aqueous leaf extract of Telfairia occidentalis (ATO) on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)‐mediated colitis in rats. UC was induced by 5% of DSS in drinking water, and the curative ability of ATO was assessed at 200 mg/kg by oral administration for 10 days. The effect of ATO was deduced on anti‐inflammatory, preclinical features [disease activity index (DAI)], redox assays, and alterations both microscopic and macroscopic of the colonic mucosa. DSS mediated inflammation in colons of rats with a significant increase in nitric oxide, myeloperoxidase, IL‐1β, IL‐6, and TNF‐α levels compared with a control group. Lipid peroxidation was also induced following exposure of rats to DSS. There is a marked decrease in antioxidant enzymes activities in DSS group. However, treatment with ATO markedly inhibited the colonic inflammation by reversing the elevated levels of inflammatory markers. Furthermore, ATO suppressed the lipid peroxidation chain reaction by reducing the level of malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide. ATO attenuates DSS‐induced oxidative stress by increase the level of GSH and enhancing the activities of the cytoprotective enzymes (catalase, glutathione‐S‐transferase, and superoxide dismutase). Taken together, ATO reduced DAI score, inhibited inflammation, suppressed lipid peroxidation, attenuated oxidative stress, and enhanced the antioxidant enzymes activities. These therapeutic effects of ATO might be due to its phytochemicals as showed in gas chromatography‐mass spectroscopy results. The findings of this study indicate that aqueous leaf extract of T. occidentalis has could be a drug candidate for the treatment of UC. Practical applications The study focused on the curative ability of aqueous leaf extract of Telfairia occidentalis on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) mediated colitis in rats. The extract elicits beneficial effects against colitis via its ability to reduce mucosal inflammation, suppress lipid peroxidation, attenuate oxidative stress, enhance the antioxidant enzymes activities, and reduce both infiltration of inflammatory cells and mucosal damage in colon. This study provides scientific evidence to the therapeutic ability of aqueous leaf extract of T. occidentalis in the treatment of DSS‐induced ulcerative colitis and could be a drug candidate for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases in humans.