Professor Alexander Kwadwo Nyarko

Academic Qualifications

• B.Sc. (Hons, Ghana) Biochemistry with Chemistry
• M.Sc (Ghana), Biochemistry
• PhD (Philadelphia), Pharmacology and Toxicology

Research Interests
Pharmacology and toxicology of plant medicines/natural products; Drug/chemical-induced toxic injury; clinical chemistry

On-going Research

• Anti-malaria drug discovery research
• Anti-cancer drug discovery research
• Genomic studies on chronic kidney diseases in humans

Courses Taught

• Basic and applied pharmacology
• Toxicology
• Biochemistry/clinical chemistry
• Logistics and supply chain management

 Selected Recent Publications

• Afriyie DK., Asare GA., Bugyei K, Asiedu-Gyekye I, Gyan BA, Adjei S, Addo P, Sittie A, Nyarko AK. (2013) Anti-atherogenic and anti-ischemic potentials of Croton membranaceus observed during sub-chronic toxicity studies. Pharmacognosy Res. 5(1): 10–16. doi:  10.4103/0974-8490.105640
• Asare-Anane H., Bawah A.T., Osa-Andrews B., Adanu R, Ofori E.K., Bani S.A Ateko R.O, Tagoe E.A.,. Nyarko A.K.  Lipid Profile in Ghanaian Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.  International Journal of Scientific and Technology Research 2 (4),April 2013 P168-175 www.ijstr.org IJSTR©2013
• Attah SK, Ayeh-Kumi PF, Sittie AA, Oppong IV, Nyarko AK.  (2013) Extracts of Euphorbia hirta Linn. (Euphorbiaceae) and Rauvolfia vomitoria Afzel (Apocynaceae) demonstrate activities against Onchocerca volvulus Microfilariae in vitro. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 13 :66
• Dabo, N.T., Ofori, M., Nyarko, A. K., Edo, D. and Bimi, L. (2013) Anti-Plasmodial Activities of Some Plants Extracts Used in Traditional Malaria Therapy in Kano-Nigeria.  Bayero Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences, 6(1): 1 – 6
• Sarkodie JA, Edoh DA, Sakyiamah M, Appiah AA, Antwi S, Nyarko AK, Owusu PD, Debrah P, Jackson NAB and Amoateng P (2013) Comparative Study of The Hypoglycaemic Property of aqueous Extract of Mangifera Indica Leaves in streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats and Genetic Diabetic Mice. South pacific Journal of Pharma and Bio Science ,(1),037-042
• Asiedu-Gyekye I.J., Antwi D.A., Awortwe C., N'guessan B.B, Nyarko A.K. (2013) Short-term administration of an aqueous extract of Kalanchoe integra var. crenata (Andr.) Cuf leaves produces no major organ damage in Sprague-Dawley rats. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 151(2):891-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2013.11.050.
• Kato T, Addo KK, Nartey N, Nyarko AK, Bonsu FA, Mitarai S (2014) First Susceptibility Testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis for Second-line Anti-tuberculosis Drugs in Ghana. Tropical Medicine and Health 03/2014; 42(1):53-5.
• J. Asiedu-Gyekye,, S. Frimpong-Manso, C. Awortwe,, D. A. Antwi, A. K. Nyarko (2014) Micro- and Macroelemental Composition and Safety Evaluation of the Nutraceutical Moringa oleifera Leaves. Journal of Toxicology, Article ID 786979, 13 pages http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/786979
• Asiedu-Gyekye IJ, Mahmood SA, Awortwe C, Nyarko AK (2014) Preliminary Safety Evaluation of Polyhexamethylene Guanidine Hydrochloride. International Journal of Toxicology 33 (6) 523-531 doi: 10.1177/1091581814553036
• Rotimi C, Abayomi A, Abimiku A, et al. (2014) Research Capacity: Enabling the genomic revolution in Africa. Science 344 (6190):1346-8. doi: 10.1126/science.1251546
• Uto T, Tung NH, Appiah-Opong R, Aning A, Morinaga O, Edoh D, Nyarko AK, Shoyama Y. (2015) Antiproliferative and Pro-Apoptotic Activity of Diarylheptanoids Isolated from the Bark of Alnus japonica in Human Leukemia Cell Lines. Am J Chin Med. 28:1-11. [Epub ahead of print]
• Suzuki M, Tung NH, Kwofie KD, Adegle R, Amoa-Bosompem M, Sakyiamah M, Ayertey F, Owusu KB, Tuffour I, Atchoglo P, Frempong KK, Anyan WK, Uto T, Morinaga O, Yamashita T, Aboagye F, Appiah AA, Appiah-Opong R, Nyarko AK, Yamaoka S, Yamaguchi Y, Edoh D, Koram K, Ohta N, Boakye DA, Ayi I, Shoyama Y. (2015) New anti-trypanosomal active tetracyclic iridoid isolated from Morinda lucida Benth.  Bioorg Med Chem Lett. Aug 1;25(15):3030-3. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2015.05.003.
• Hori T, Barnor J, Huu TN, Morinaga O, Hamano A, Ndzinu J, Frimpong A, Minta-Asare K, Amoa-Bosompem M, Brandful J, Odoom J, Bonney J, Tuffour I, Owusu BA, Ofosuhene M, Atchoglo P, Sakyiamah M, Adegle R, Appiah-Opong R, Ampofo W, Koram K, Nyarko A, Okine L, Edoh D, Appiah A, Uto T, Yoshinaka Y, Uota S, Shoyama Y, Yamaoka S. (2015) Procyanidin trimer C1 derived from Theobroma cacao reactivates latent human immunodeficiency virus type 1 provirus. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 459(2):288-93. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.02.102. Epub 2015 Feb 26.
• Amoateng P, Adjei S, Osei-Safo D, Ameyaw EO, Ahedor B, N'guessan BB, Nyarko AK (2015) A hydro-ethanolic extract of Synedrella nodiflora (L.) Gaertn ameliorates hyperalgesia and allodynia in vincristine-induced neuropathic pain in rats. J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol. 26(4):383-94. doi: 10.1515/jbcpp-2014-
• Fokoua PVT, Nyarko AK, Appiah-Oponga R, Yamthe LRT, Addo P, Asante IK, Boyom FF. (2015) Ethnopharmacological reports on anti-Buruli ulcer medicinal plants in three West African countries. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 172, Pages 297–311
• Nguta JM, Appiah-Opong R, Nyarko AK, Yeboah-Manu D, Addo PGA. (2015) Medicinal plants used to treat TB in Ghana.  International Journal of Mycobacteriology 4 116– 123