Prof. Tshepiso J Makhafola

NRF RATINGY
POSITIONAssociate Professor
QUALIFICATIONSPhD (UP)
PORTFOLIOProf. Makhafola’s research focuses on investigating plant extracts and phytocompounds for their ability to delay different carcinogenic processes, including suppression, reduction or inversion of carcinogenesis. The main aim is to discover lead compounds that can be developed as cancer chemoprevention and cancer chemotherapeutic agents by investigating the antihepatocarcinogenic and antinephrocarcinogenic effects of selected South African medicinal plants against mycotoxin (Aflatoxin B1, Ochratoxin A and Fumonisin) carcinogenesis. Fifty South African plant species have been identified with antioxidant, antifungal, antimycototic and antimycotoxigenic activities.In addition, ten plant species showed hepatoprotective effects against mycotoxin induced toxicity. The research is ongoing to evaluate the nephroprotective effects of some plant species. Additionally, through a collaborative project at the ARC-OVI, an additional thirty plants were assayed for their antimutagenic effects against aflatoxin B1, using various in vitro genotoxicity assays. Plant extracts with high anticarcinogenic activity (in representative cell lines, i.e., hepatocytes and kidney cells) will be selected for isolation of active compounds and possible future in vivo studies.
AREAS OF EXPERTISEEthnopharmacologyMolecular BiologyCancer BiologyIn vitro cytotoxicityIn vitro genotoxicity
PUBLICATIONSVan Dyk, H, Jacobs, FJF, Kroon, RE, Makhafola, TJ & Brink, A. 2023. Characterisation, structural investigations, and biological activity of substituted salicylidene-based compounds. Journal of Molecular Structure, 1276, 134737.Mfotie Njoya, E, Maza, HLD, Swain, SS, Chukwuma, CI, Mkounga, P, Nguekeu Mba, YM, Mashele, SS, Makhafola, TJ & McGaw LJ. 2023. Natural Compounds Isolated from African Mistletoes (Loranthaceae) Exert Anti-Inflammatory and Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitory Potentials: In Vitro and In Silico Studies. Applied Sciences. 2023; 13(4):2606. https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042606Ramorobi, LM, Matowane, GR, Mashele, SS, Erukainure, OL, Makhafola, TJ & Chukwuma, CI. 2023. Therapeutic Antidiabetic and Antioxidative Synergism of Zn(II)-Syringic Acid Complexation. Rev. Bras. Farmacogn. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43450-023-00363-0Matowane, GR, Ramorobi, LM, Mashele, SS, Bonnet, SL, Noreljaleel, AEM, Swain, SS, Makhafola, TJ & Chukwuma, CI. 2023. Novel Caffeic Acid-Zinc Acetate Complex: Studies on Promising Antidiabetic and Antioxidative Synergism Through Complexation. Medicinal Chemistry, Volume 19, Number 2, pp. 147-162(16).Molele, PK, Makhafola, TJ & Mongalo, NI. 2023 GC-ToF-MS based phytochemical analysis and anti-mycotoxigenic activity of South African medicinal plants, Mystroxylon aethiopicum (Thunb.) Loes. and Spirostachys africana Sond. South African Journal of Botany, 153 (2023): 11À20.
PRESENTED CONFERENCES, SEMINARS, WORKSHOPS
  1. The Bermuda Principles – Impact on Splicing 2018 Anticancer-splicing activity of South African Medicinal plants
  2. 6th UK RNA Splicing Meeting 2018 Apoptosis in cancer cells induced by alternative splicing of hnRNPA2/B1 through splicing of Bcl-x,revealed by Cotyledon orbiculata
  3. Power of Fungi and Mycotoxins in the Midst of Climate Change (Koprivnica) Anti-mycotoxigenic activity of South African medicinal plants
EXTERNAL PROFILESResearchGate
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OrcID

  • Prof. Tshepiso Makhafola
  • Tel: +27(0)51 507 3669
  • jmakhafola@cut.ac.za