By Olayinka Ajayi 

A Nigerian PhD researcher in Biochemistry and Cancer Biology at The Ohio State University, Niyi Adelakun has develops nanobody-based protein degraders designed to selectively eliminate disease-causing proteins in cancer cells.

Speaking on his findings, to journalists, Adelakun, explained that there are several medicinal plants beneficial to cure chronic diseases but are yet to be investigated by biomedical researchers.

He said, “As a biomedical researcher in Nigeria, my colleagues and I investigated medicinal plants that had long been used in local communities but had rarely been investigated with modern scientific methods. 

“We were particularly interested in flavonoid-rich extracts from plants such as Chromolaena odorata, also known as Siam weed, and Momordica charantia, commonly referred to as bitter melon, to determine whether these traditional remedies could meaningfully modulate the molecular pathways underlying kidney injury and diabetes. In controlled animal models, we prepared and administered enriched flavonoid fractions, looking beyond crude “antioxidant” labels. 

“We assessed serum markers of kidney and pancreatic function, examined tissue sections under the microscope, and quantified the expression profile of specific pro-inflammatory and oxidative-stress genes. The data were encouraging: these plant-derived flavonoids mitigated tissue damage and improved multiple biochemical and histological parameters. For me, the key lesson was not that these plants may “cure” chronic disease, but that their bioactive constituents behave as serious, testable modulators of disease pathways, and therefore as likely starting points for drug development. 

As our work expanded, we focused on infectious diseases, particularly in the context of emerging viral threats. One project focused on Aframomum melegueta, commonly known as grains of paradise, a spicy seed widely utilized in West African cooking and traditional remedies. In this study, we compiled a library of its secondary metabolites and used computational methods to screen them against viral and host proteins, including the SARS-CoV-2 main protease and the human protease furin, which many viruses exploit to activate their surface glycoproteins. Selected fractions were then tested in biochemical assays. Some extracts inhibited furin activity and impaired cleavage of a model viral substrate, suggesting that within this familiar spice are chemical scaffolds capable of modulating validated antiviral targets. The study was published in Phytotherapy Research.

Even plants that carry social and legal stigma entered our pipeline. Using in silico approach, we evaluated the non-psychoactive constituents of Cannabis sativa against Plasmodium falciparum dihydrofolate reductase, a key enzyme in the folate metabolism of malaria. Several molecules showed predicted binding affinities comparable to those of established antifolate drugs. These findings do not endorse cannabis as an antimalarial remedy; rather, they highlight a broader principle that guided our work in Nigeria: drug-like chemistry can emerge from unexpected botanical origin, and it should be judged on data, not on reputation. 

“Across these projects, our approach followed consistent logic. We began by identifying plants found within our environment, employing computational tools to prioritize their metabolites against defined molecular targets. We then applied biochemical, cellular, and animal studies to separate genuine leads from mere folklore. Not every extract was effective, and many promising hits raised valid concerns about potency, selectivity, or toxicity. While thoughtful debate persists regarding the translational potential of such phytochemical leads, our findings increasingly challenge the notion that medicinal plants lack scientific substance. 

What this phase of my career in Nigeria taught me is that natural products are neither magic nor obsolete.But are hypotheses in molecular form, sometimes weak, sometimes powerful, that must be tested with the same rigor as any synthetic compound. That perspective continues to shape how I think about therapeutics, even as my work has moved into highly engineered modalities.”