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Faculty of Applied Sciences

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    Coumarin containing hybrids and their pharmacological activities
    (Phytochemistry & Organic Synthesis Laboratory, 2021-08-09) Kasumbwe, Kabange; Saheed, Sabiu; Makhanya, Talent R.; Venugopala, Katharigatta Narayanaswamy; Mohanlall, Viresh
    Coumarin moiety is of great interest to both chemists and biologists as it is present in a wide variety of naturally occurring bioactive compounds. Studies have lent scientific credence to the biological activities of several coumarin derivatives. The broad spectrum of biological activities linked with coumarin includes antibacterial, antimycobacterial, antioxidant, anticancer, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant and antiviral properties. The electron releasing and withdrawing substituent of coumarin affects the pharmacological properties of its resulting derivatives. Thus, identifying key structural features within the coumarin family is vital to the design and development of new analogues with enhanced pharmacological activity due to the variability in the structural complexity of coumarin. This article presents an up-to-date synopsis on the synthesis of coumarin derivatives and their pharmacological properties.
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    A brief review of secondary plant metabolites as anticancer agents
    (COJ Reviews & Research, 2020-05-18) Mohanlall, Viresh; Naicker, Leeann
    Plants have provided a source of medicine from the beginning of human history and are the core of modern medicine. Moreover, plant-based drug discovery has led to the development of various anticancer drugs (such as vincristine, vinblastine, etoposide, paclitaxel, camptothecin, topotecan and irinotecan). The use of botanical, photochemical, biological and molecular techniques have facilitated the discovery of novel secondary metabolites from native and indigenous plants that can inhibit the human topoisomerase II enzyme (target for anticancer drugs) and kill cancer cells. Therefore, the aim of this review was to further investigate the anticancer activity of secondary metabolites from native and indigenous plants and determine the classes of compounds that contributed towards its activity.