DR N OCTOBER

Tel            +27 (0)12 420-4905

Email        [email protected]

Office       NS1 Room 4-46

Position   Senior Lecturer (Organic Chemistry) 

Academic qualification  PhD

Teaching

Organic Chemistry (undergraduate and postgraduate)

Modules: CMY 127, CMY 154, CHM 181, CHM 215, CMY 384, CMY 708 (HONS), CMY 709 (HONS)

Practical training: All Organic Chemistry modules (1^st-3^rd years) and Honours projects

Modules: CMY 127, CMY 154, CHM 181, CHM 215, CMY 384, CMY 719

Research interests

Medicinal Chemistry, Synthetic Chemistry and Natural products

Selected publications

C. W. L. Fidèle, M. Balemaken Missi, October, N.; , P.H. B. Didoue, N. H .N.,  Ikome, J-P.,  Abdou, et. al., Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activities of the Extract and Some Flavonoids From Aerial Parts of Echinops Gracilis O. Hoffm. (Asteraceae), Natural Product Communications, 16(3): 1–6, 2021.

Ajayi, O.S., Balogun, O.S., Olawuni, I.J, October, N., Adigun, R., Akinlade, I.G.;    Bicyclic Diterpenoid Lactones, Alpha Amylase Inhibition and Antioxidant Activities from Andrographis paniculata Nees; Tropical Journal of Natural Product Research.; Vol 5 issue 2, 2021.

Adigun, R. A.; Malan, F.;   Balogun, M. O.; October, N.; Substitutional effects on the thermal stability and reactivity of dihydropyrimidinones ; Journal of Molecular Structure; 1223, 129193, 2021.

Adigun, R. A.; Malan, F.;   Balogun, M. O.; October, N.; Tetrahydropyrimidinones/thiones stabilized by trifluoromethyl-containing β-diketones; Journal of Molecular Structure; 1202, 127281, 2020.

Ajani, O. O.; Joseph, O. E.; Iyaye,K. T.; October, N.;  Aderohunmu, D.V.; Olorunshola, S. J.; Audu, O. Y.; Facile Synthesis, Characterization and in vitro Antibacterial Efficacy of Functionalized 2-Substitued Benzimidazole Motifs; Indones. J. Chem., 20(1), 72-87, 2020.

Thakur, A.; Chun, Y.S.; October, N.; Yang, H.O.; Maharaj, V.; Potential of South African medicinal plants targeting the reduction of Aβ42 protein as a treatment of Alzheimer's disease, J Ethnopharmacol.;231:363-37, 2019.

Ajani, O. O.;  Akande, M. M.; October, N.;  Siyanbola, T. O.; Aderohunmu, D. V.; Akinsiku, A. A.; Olorunshola, S. J.; Microwave assisted synthesis, characterization and investigation of antibacterial activity of 3-(5-(substituted-phenyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)-2Hchromen-2-one derivatives, Arab Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, Vol. 26, No. 1, 362–375, 2019.

Mshelia, H. E.;  Ugwah-Oguejiofor, C-J.; October, N.; Abubakar, K.; Isolation of Oleanolic Acid from Parinari curatellifolia (Planch Ex. Benth) Stem Bark and Evaluation of its Anticonvulsant and Sedative activities in Rodents; Trop J Nat Prod Res; 3(1); 17-21; 2019.

Anas, A.; Ahmed, A.; Umar, S.; Jajere, U.M.; Mshelia, E.H. ; October, N.; Inhibitory effect of isolated lupeol from stem bark of Diospyros mespiliformis Horsch (Ebenaceae) against some microbial pathogens; Bayero Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences, 10(1): 293 – 299, 2017.

Conference proceedings:

National

Isolation and Identification of cytotoxic compounds from a Tephrosia species, Adetola Adewole, Natasha October (Supervisor) , Mamoalosi Selepe (Co-supervisor), Oral Presentation at Franck Warren Organic Chemistry Conference, 7-11 July 2019.

Organic and nanoparticle derived composites and their potential application as antimicrobials and antifungals, Mpheleki Lupiwana (Presenter), Natasha October (Supervisor), Mohammed Balogun (Co-supervisor), Poster Presentation at Franck Warren Organic Chemistry Conference, 7-11 July 2019.

In- Silico design, Chemical Synthesis and Biological Screening of Novel 4-(1H)-pyridone based antimalarial agents, Oluwatosin Yemisi Audu, (Presenter), Natasha October(Supervisor), Ajani Olayinka (Co-supervisor), Oral Presentation at Franck Warren Organic Chemistry Conference, 7-11 July 2019.

Syntheses and biological evaluation of novel 4(1H)-pyridone derivatives targeting cytochrome Bc1 Qi site of Plasmodium Falciparum based on in- silico studies, Oluwatosin Audu , Andre Stander , Olayinka Ajani and Natasha October (Supervisor), MOMR Malaria conference, November 2017.

International

Organic and nanoparticle derived composites and their potential application as antimicrobials and antifungals, Mpheleki Lupiwana (Presenter), Natasha October (Supervisor), Mohammed Balogun (Co-supervisor), Poster Presentation,  International Conference On Phosphorus, Boron and Silicon, 2-4 December 2019.

Syntheses and Biological Evaluation of novel 4(1H)-Pyridone derivatives targeting cytochrome bc1 Qi site of Plasmodium Falciparum based on in silico studies, Poster Presentation, Oluwatosin Yemisi Audu, (Presenter), Natasha October (Supervisor), Ajani Olayinka (Co-supervisor),  MEEGID XIV – 14th International Conference on Molecular Epidemiology and Evolutionary Genetics of Infectious Diseases, 6-9 November, 2018.

Collaborations

National

Physiology Department, University of Pretoria (Dr A Standers)

Department of Biochemistry, Genetics, and Microbiology, University of Pretoria (Dr Pontsho Moela)

Chemistry Department, University of Pretoria, (Prof Vinesh Maharaj)

Chemistry Department, University of Pretoria, (Dr Mamoalosi Selepe)

Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), (Dr Mohammed Balogun)

 International

Department of Chemistry, Covenant University (Prof. Olayinka O. Ajani)

Department of Chemistry, Obafemi Awolowo University (Dr Kayode Ajayi)

Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Yaoundé I (Prof D E Pegnyemb)

Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, University of Western Cape (Dr Samuel A. Egieyeh)

Postgraduate students

Ethan Besaans

MSc

2016

Interrogating alkyl and arylalkylpolyamino (bis)urea and (bis)thiourea isosteres as potent antimalarial chemotypes against multiple lifecycle forms of Plasmodium falciparum parasites

Rasheed Adewale Adigun

PhD

2020

Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of resistance reversal dihydropyrimidinonebased antimalarials

Anuradha Thakur

PhD

2020

Potential of South African medicinal plants as treatments for Alzheimer’s disease through Aβ42 protein reduction and identification of their active compounds

Emmanuel Mshelia

PhD

2014

Evaluation of Parinari curatellifolia Planch Ex. Benth (Chrysobalanaceae) Extracts for Anticancer and Antioxidant Activities

Marius Balemaken Missi 

PhD

2017-present

Bioactive Phenolic Compounds as Antimicrobial, Antioxidant and Anticancer agents

AUDU Oluwatosin Yemisi

PhD

2017-present

Design, synthesis, in silico and in vitro bio-evaluation of potential agents against malaria, cancer and microbial infections

Adetola Henry Adewole

PhD

2018-present

Scientific validation and authentication of the use and methods of treatment of traditional medicinal plant

Tholithembelihle Nconco

MSc

2019-present

Extraction, isolation and structural isolation of potential anticancer agents  Agapanthus praecox ssp. Minimus 

Angela Bona

MSc

2020-present

In vitro screening of plant-derived compounds with potential anticancer properties on breast- and cervical cancer cell lines