Prof. Dr. M. Ovais Omer
Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Lahore-PakistanSpeech Title: In vitro evaluation of Pharmacological and Toxicological potential of Indigenous Plant extracts
Abstract: Ocimum basilicum L. is a member of family Lamiaceae and is well known for its antimicrobial, analgesic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and immunomodulatory properties. Antiviral potential and embryonic toxicity of aqueous and methanolic extracts of O. basilicum L. and ribavirin were evaluated. Antiviral activity was evaluated against avian influenza H9 virus on 9-day old chick embryos. Embryonic toxicity was checked by viewing the viability or stunting growth on 9-day old chick embryos. Five different concentrations (250, 125, 62.5, 31.25 and 15.625μg/ml) of both the extracts and drug were evaluated. The 62.5μg/ml and higher concentrations of aqueous extract while 125μg/ml and higher of methanolic extract showed strong antiviral potential. Aqueous extract was safe while at 250μg/ml concentration of methanolic extract caused embryotoxicity. The 30μg/ml concentration of ribavirin and higher were embryotoxic. Ribavirin showed strong antiviral potential at all concentrations. Comparison of antiviral activity indicated that aqueous extract has strong antiviral potential at 62.5μg/ml and higher but same concentrations were safe while methanolic extract has strong antiviral potential at 125μg/ml and higher while 250μg/ml was embryotoxic.
Biography: Dr. Ovais Omer is a professor, a veterinarian and a pharmacologist in a well reputed government sector university in Pakistan with more than 28 years of academic, research and administration experience. Has supervised about 150 master and 08 doctoral scholars and the process is continued. His focus in research is on identification, isolation, pharmacological and toxicological evaluations and immunomodulatory responses of chemicals from natural or synthetic origin and published over 50 SCI papers in this domain. Dr. Ovais, has attended many conferences and presented papers on animal and plant sciences, toxicological experimentation and phytomedicine in South Korea, Turkeyie, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia etc.