Professor Oluwole Familoni, a Nigerian chemist at the University of Lagos, claims he has discovered 13 new compounds for the treatment of HIV/AIDS among other ailments, the Guardian newspaper has announced.
Familoni disclosed Thursday at his Inaugural Lecture titled: “Synthetic Organic Chemists: Creating Molecules for the Benefit of Man” that he had also synthesised new Benzo-substituted Angular Tricyclic Quinoxalines found to be useful for their anti-microbial activities as potent anti-thrombotic (prevents or interferes with the formation of blood clot) agents and as non-nucleoside HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors (for treatment of Human Immuno-deficiency Virus /Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS)).
Top on the list are compounds (Tricyclic thiazoloquinazolines), which have been identified as anti-malarial, anti-hypotensive (lowering blood pressure) agents and others possessing blood platelet aggregation inhibiting activity.
The chemist has also created Benzothiadiazines as potential diuretics — Diuretics are compounds that increase the flow of urine in patients having fluid retention problems, for example oedema, which is common in pregnant women. This usually leads to diabetes and hypertension.
Familoni revealed his discovery of a compound published in reputable international journals as an anti-HIV-1 agent, which the United States National Institute for Health has asked him to send for testing.
He said, however, he could not oblige the request due to financial constraints.
Familoni said: “My contribution to knowledge has three components — Creating new heterocycles for the benefit of mankind; discovering new methods of making precursors for useful heterocycles and not necessarily making the heterocycles, and natural product chemistry.”
Heterocyclic compounds are organic compounds that contain a ring structure of atoms in addition to carbon, such as sulphur, oxygen or nitrogen, as part of the ring.
They may be either simple aromatic rings or non-aromatic rings. Some examples ar e pyridine (C5H5N), pyrimidine (C4H4N2) and dioxane (C4H8O2)).
“Many of these compounds have been used in the treatment of diseases and there has been increasing drugs resistance brought about by mutation and abuse of the drugs. This has brought about the need to continuously make available new drugs. The emergence of new diseases also makes it imperative for constant development of new compounds that can be used for treatment of diseases and for other uses,” he said.
Familoni described his discovery of the new compounds as “God’s doing”, adding ” Creating these molecules can only be done when God allows it. It is not all those who work and want to create these compounds that succeed. Panapress .
