Prof. Tshepiso J Makhafola
NRF Rating: C2
Associate Professor
Qualifications: PhD (University of Pretoria)
Professional Background
Prof. T.J. Makhafola’s research focuses on investigating plant extracts and phytocompounds for their ability to delay various carcinogenic processes, including the suppression, reduction, or inversion of carcinogenesis. The primary aim is to discover lead compounds that can be developed as cancer chemoprevention and chemotherapeutic agents.
This is achieved by investigating the antihepatocarcinogenic and antinephrocarcinogenic effects of selected South African medicinal plants against mycotoxin (Aflatoxin B1, Ochratoxin A, and Fumonisin) carcinogenesis. To date, fifty South African plant species have been identified with antioxidant, antifungal, antimycotoxic, and antimycotoxigenic activities, with ten species demonstrating distinct hepatoprotective effects against mycotoxin-induced toxicity.
Key Research Initiatives & Future Directions
- Ongoing Research: Evaluating the nephroprotective effects of select plant species to broaden the scope of natural chemoprevention.
- Strategic Collaboration: Partnered with ARC-OVI to assay an additional thirty plants for antimutagenic effects against aflatoxin B1 using various in vitro genotoxicity assays.
- Translational Focus: Isolating active compounds from plant extracts demonstrating high anticarcinogenic activity in representative cell lines (hepatocytes and kidney cells) for prospective in vivo studies.
Areas of Expertise
- • Ethnopharmacology
- • Molecular Biology
- • Cancer Biology
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In vitro Cytotoxicity
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In vitro Genotoxicity
Selected Publications
Top Journal Articles
- • Van Dyk, H., Jacobs, F.J.F., Kroon, R.E., Makhafola, T.J. & Brink, A. 2023. Characterisation, structural investigations, and biological activity of substituted salicylidene-based compounds. Journal of Molecular Structure, 1276, 134737.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molstruc.2023.134737 → - • Mfotie Njoya, E., Maza, H.L.D., Swain, S.S., Chukwuma, C.I., Mkounga, P., Nguekeu Mba, Y.M., Mashele, S.S., Makhafola, T.J. & McGaw, L.J. 2023. Natural Compounds Isolated from African Mistletoes (Loranthaceae) Exert Anti-Inflammatory and Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitory Potentials: In Vitro and In Silico Studies. Applied Sciences, 13(4), 2606.
https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042606 → - • Ramorobi, L.M., Matowane, G.R., Mashele, S.S., Erukainure, O.L., Makhafola, T.J. & Chukwuma, C.I. 2023. Therapeutic Antidiabetic and Antioxidative Synergism of Zn(II)-Syringic Acid Complexation. Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s43450-023-00363-0 → - • Matowane, G.R., Ramorobi, L.M., Mashele, S.S., Bonnet, S.L., Noreljaleel, A.E.M., Swain, S.S., Makhafola, T.J. & Chukwuma, C.I. 2023. Novel Caffeic Acid-Zinc Acetate Complex: Studies on Promising Antidiabetic and Antioxidative Synergism Through Complexation. Medicinal Chemistry, 19(2), 147-162.
- • Molele, P.K., Makhafola, T.J. & Mongalo, N.I. 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, 11–20.
Top Conference Presentations
- • Makhafola, T.J. (2018). Anticancer-splicing activity of South African Medicinal plants. The Bermuda Principles – Impact on Splicing.
- • Makhafola, T.J. (2018). Apoptosis in cancer cells induced by alternative splicing of hnRNPA2/B1 through splicing of Bcl-x, revealed by Cotyledon orbiculata. 6th UK RNA Splicing Meeting.
- • Makhafola, T.J. (2018). Anti-mycotoxigenic activity of South African medicinal plants. Power of Fungi and Mycotoxins in the Midst of Climate Change, Koprivnica.
