Innovation: It is, however, expected that Ogwu iba phytochemicals will possess antimalarial activity with minimal or no toxicity effect.

Sector/Industry Application: Health

Description: The current trend of malarial infection in Nigeria is still worrisome, despite the concerted efforts to eradicate the scourge. This is principally due to the growing threat of parasite resistance to available antimalarial drugs, including the WHO recommended first line drug (Artemisinin combination therapy, ACT) for treatment of uncomplicated malaria. This situation is, however, complicated by malaria co-infections, particularly in endemic areas, including Nigeria, where malaria infection rarely occurs alone. The need for new antimalarial agents with the efficacy to tackle malarial co-infections caused by bacteria, fungi and viruses (including COVID-19) has become urgent. Screening of plant-based chemicals could be central source. In this study, the in silico, antiplasmodial and antimicrobial properties of two medicinal plants will be evaluated, with the hope of identifying the plants’ bioactive phytocompounds which could be standardized for clinical use in combating malaria and co-infections.

Problem: The current WHO data on malarial infection (WHO, 2022) is increasingly worrisome due to the fast-spreading resistance of parasites to available and recommended chemotherapy, lack of effective vaccines in wide use, resistance of mosquitoes to insecticides and complications of co-infections. The search for more potent drugs to combat the rising trend in the global rate of malarial infection has, therefore, become critical. Thus, there is urgent need for new drugs with broad therapeutic efficacy and novel modes of action in order to widen the scope of treatment and subdue the evolving drug resistance and possibilities of co-infections. The search for such agents from medicinal plants has become imperative, as the complexity and multi-component nature of medicinal plants may be difficult for parasites to resist.