Simplice D. Karou

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used in the management of diabetes mellitus and hypertension in the Central Region of Togo

Context: The Tem tribe in the Central Region of Togo is a population with an extensive knowledge of medicinal plants. However, little is known about their medical practices, principally the use of plants in the management of diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HTN). Objective: The present study documented the indigenous medicinal plant utilization for the management of DM and HTN in the Togo Central Region. Methodology: From March to October 2010, 55 traditional healers were interviewed about their knowledge on the use of plants for DM and HTN treatment. Results: The results revealed that 35/55 (63.64%) healers had treated at least one case of DM and/or HTN. They highlighted the use of 64 species belonging to 31 families in the treatment of DM and/or HTN. The most used plants against diabetes were Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae), Khaya senegalensis A. Juss. (Meliaceae), Sarcocephalus latifolius (Sm.) E.A. Bruce (Rubiaceae), Annona muricata L. (Annonaceae), Bridelia ferruginea Benth. (Phyllanthaceae), and Securidaca longepedunculata Fresen. (Polygalacae), while Allium sativum L. (Liliaceae) and Parkia biglobosa Benth. (Fabaceae), followed by Khaya senegalensis A. Juss. (Meliaceae), Gardenia ternifolia Schumach. (Rubiaceae), and Persea americana Mill. (Lauraceae) were the most commonly cited as antihypertensive. Conclusion: The issue revealed that traditional healers of the above mentioned region have basic knowledge regarding herbal medicine for DM and HTN in comparison with previous published reports. Further pharmacological screening of the identified plants should be conducted to ascertain the effectiveness of these plants.

Medicinal plants use in central Togo (Africa) with an emphasis on the timing.

Background: Plant-based remedies continue to play a key role in the health care of people in Togo; however, there is a lack of published data in medicinal plants and medical practices of the people in the country. Objective: This study was aimed at documenting the plant utilization in the Tem folk medicine in the central region of Togo. Materials and Methods: An ethnobotanical survey was conducted with traditional healers in the central region of Togo using a semi-structured questionnaire. Results: This study demonstrated that local specialists in the central region of Togo tend to agree with each other in terms of the plants used to treat diabetes (ICF = 0.38), infertility, and abdominal pains (ICF = 0.33), but cite a much more diverse groups of plants to treat problems related to arterial hypertension, sickle cell disease, and abscess. They use 144 herbal concoctions made of 72 plants, distributed among 36 botanical families. The Euphorbiaceae family with eight species was best represented in terms of the number of species. The species with the highest use value were Khaya senegalensis (Desr.) A. Juss. (Meliaceae) (UV = 0.36), Anthocleista djalonensis A. Chev. (Gentianaceae) (UV = 0.27), Trichilia emetica Vahl (Meliaceae) (UV = 0.25), and Sarcocephalus latifolius (Sm.) E. A. Bruce (Rubiaceae) (UV = 0.21). They also rely on the timing in the plant processing and the administration of herbal remedies. Conclusion: All these findings are based on empirical observations; laboratory screenings are needed to check the effectiveness of these plants.

Antimicrobial, antiplasmodial, haemolytic and antioxidant activities of crude extracts from three selected Togolese medicinal plants

OBJECTIVE To investigate the antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiplasmodial, acute toxicity and haemolytic activities of methanolic extracts of three plants. Phytochemical analysis to determine the phenolic contents was also carried out. METHODS The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging, NCCLS broth microdilution and Plasmodium Lactate Dehydrogenase (pLDH) assays were used to determine antioxidant, antimicrobial and antiplasmodial activities, respectively. Haemolysis assay was conducted on A(+) human red blood cells and acute toxicity on male Swiss albino mice. Phenolics were quantitatively determined using spectrophotometric methods. RESULTS The DPPH assay yielded interesting antioxidant activities of methanolic extract of Parinari curatellifolia (P. curatellifolia) and Entada africana (E. africana) (IC(50) were 0.20±0.01 μg/mL and 0.47±0.01 μg/mL, respectively). This activity was highly correlated with phenolic contents of extracts. The antimicrobial tests displayed minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) values ranging from 0.90 to 1.80 mg/mL for Serratia marcescens (S. marcescens) the most susceptible bacterial strain. MIC value was 1.20 mg/mL for susceptible fungal strains including Mucor rouxi (M. rouxi), Fusarium oxyporum (F. oxyporum) and Rhizopus nigricans (R. nigricans). pLDH assay showed moderate antiplasmodial activity of Balanites aegyptiaca (B. aegyptiaca) (IC(50) = 24.56±3.45 μg/mL), however this extract was highly haemolytic and toxic in mice (LD(50) = 625±128 mg/kg). CONCLUSIONS Our results support in part the use of the selected plants in the treatment of microbial infections. In addition the plant showed interesting antioxidant activity that could be useful in the management of oxidative stress.

Sida acuta Burm. f.: a medicinal plant with numerous potencies

Sida acuta is shrub belonging to Malvaceae family. The plant is widely distributed in the subtropical regions where it is found in bushes, in farms and around habitations. Surveys conducted in indigenous places revealed that the plant had many traditional usages that varied from one region to another. The most cited illnesses are fever, headache and infections diseases. Indeed, many laboratory screening have been conducted to show the scientific rationale behind these usages and many compounds have been isolated from the plant. In the present review we listed the plant usages in folk medicine in some regions where the plant grows and we discussed on the confirmed in vitro activities after laboratory screenings. The review ended with the pharmacological properties of several compounds isolated from S. acuta principally alkaloids.

Seroepidemiology of Hepatitis B and C Viruses in the General Population of Burkina Faso

Objectives. In Burkina Faso, few studies reported the prevalence of HBV and HCV in the general population. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of hepatitis B and C viruses in the general population and to determine the most affected groups in relation to the risk factors associated with the infection. Method. A voluntary testing opened to anyone interested was held at Saint Camille Medical Centre in Ouagadougou. Rapid tests were carried out on 995 persons who voluntarily answered a range of questions before the venous blood sampling. Results. The results revealed that the antigen HBs carriers in the general population represented 14.47% (144/995) and the prevalence of HCV was 1.00% (10/995). The difference between HBVs prevalence in men (18.58%) and that in women (11.60%) was statistically significant (P = 0.002). The most affected groups were undergraduated students (19.57%) and persons working in the informal sector (15.98%). The least affected group was high level students (8.82%). Conclusion. Burkina Faso is a country with a high prevalence of HBV, while the incidence of HCV is still low in the general population. Therefore, more campaigns on the transmission routes of HBV and HCV are needed to reduce the spread of these viruses in sub-Saharan Africa.

HCV prevalence and co‐infection with HIV among pregnant women in Saint Camille Medical Centre, Ouagadougou

Objective  To determine hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence and the rate of HCV/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co‐infection in pregnant women attending Saint Camille medical centre (SCMC) in Ouagadougou.

Antimicrobial resistance of abnormal vaginal discharges microorganisms in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

OBJECTIVE To assess the prevalence of bacterial strains and fungal strains infecting the vaginal tract and test their sensitivity to antibiotics in women attending Saint Camille Medical Centre in Ouagadougou. METHODS From January 2008 to December 2009, a total of 2 000 vaginal swabs were cultivated for bacterial and fungal identification and isolation. Furthermore, bacterial strains were tested for their susceptibility to several antibiotics used in routine in the centre. RESULTS The results revealed that microbial isolation and identification was attempted for 1 536/2 000 sample, a positivity rate of 76.80%. Candida albicans (48.76%), followed by Escherichia coli (16.67%), Streptococcus agalactiae (8.14%) and Staphylococcus aureus (7.55%) were the major agents of genital tract infections in patients. Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum combined accounted for less than 7%. Trichomonas vaginalis was identified in 1.04% cases. The antimicrobial tests revealed that the microorganisms developed resistance to several antibiotics including beta lactams. However, antibiotics such as cefamenzol, ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin were still active on these bacteria. CONCLUSIONS The results reveal that many sexually active women are infected by one or more microbial pathogens, probably because of the lack of hygiene or the adoption of some risky behaviors, such as not using condoms or having multiple sexual partners. Efforts should be made to address these points in the country.

Screening Togolese medicinal plants for few pharmacological properties

Background: Terminalia macroptera Guill. et Perr. (Combretaceae), Sida alba L. (Malvaceae), Prosopis africana Guill et Perr. Taub. (Mimosaceae), Bridelia ferruginea Benth. (Euphorbiaceae), and Vetiveria nigritana Stapf. (Asteraceae) are traditionally used in Togolese folk medicine to treat several diseases including microbial infections. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and hemolytic properties of the crude extracts of the above-mentioned plants. Materials and Methods: The antimicrobial and the antioxidant activities were assayed using the NCCLS microdilution method and the DPPH free radical scavenging, respectively. Human A+ red blood cells were used to perform the hemolytic assay. Phenolics were further quantified in the extracts using spectrophotometric methods. Results: Minimal inhibitory concentrations in the range of 230-1800 μg/ml were recorded in the NCCLS broth microdilution for both bacterial and fungal strains with methanol extracts. The DPPH radical scavenging assay yielded interesting antioxidant activities of the extracts of P. africana and T. macroptera (IC50 values of 0.003 ± 0.00 μg/ml and 0.05 ± 0.03 μg/ml, respectively). These activities were positively correlated with the total phenolic contents and negatively correlated with the proanthocyanidin content of the extracts. The hemolytic assay revealed that great hemolysis occurred with the methanol extracts of T. macroptera, S. longepedunculata, and B. ferruginea. Conclusion: These results support in part the use of the selected plants in the treatment of microbial infections. In addition, the plant showed an interesting antioxidant activity that could be useful in the management of oxidative stress.

Antiplasmodial and anti-inflammatory activities of Canthium henriquesianum (K. Schum), a plant used in traditional medicine in Burkina Faso

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Canthium henriquesianum (K. Schum) is traditionally used in Burkina Faso for the treatment of malaria, but has not been properly investigated, yet. The aim of this study was to characterize in vitro the antiplasmodial and the anti-inflammatory activity of extracts from Canthium henriquesianum (K. Schum). In parallel, extracts of Gardenia sokotensis (Hutch) and Vernonia colorata (Willd), also traditionally used together in Burkina Faso and already reported with antimalarial activity, were compared. MATERIALS AND METHODS Plant extracts were tested in vitro for antimalarial activity against chloroquine susceptible (D10) and resistant (W2) strains of Plasmodium falciparum using the lactate dehydrogenase assay. Cell cytotoxicity was assessed on human dermal fibroblast (HDF) by the MTT assay. The selectivity index (SI) was used as the ratio of the activity against the parasites compared to the toxicity of the plant extract against HDF. In vitro cytokine production was assessed by ELISA technique. RESULTS Canthium henriquesianum aqueous extract had a moderate antimalarial activity (IC50<50 µg/ml) with a good selectivity index (SI=HDF/D10>7). Canthium henriquesianum diisopropyl ether extract was the most potent inhibitor of parasite growth with an IC50 9.5 µg/ml on W2 and 8.8 µg/ml on D10 and limited toxicity (SI>2). Gardenia sokotensis and Vernonia colorata aqueous extracts were shown to be significantly less active (IC50≥50 µg/ml) with substantial toxicity. In addition, when the production of IL-1β and TNFα by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or hemozoin (malaria pigment) stimulated human THP-1 monocytes was assayed, it was found that the extract of Canthium henriquesianum induced a dose-dependent inhibition of IL-1β, but not of TNFα production, thus confirming its traditional use as antipyretic. By NMR analysis, the chromone was identified as the mostly represented compound in the diisopropyl ether extract of Canthium henriquesianum. Chromone however, was less active as antimalarial than the crude extract and it did not inhibit cytokine production at not toxic doses, indicating that other molecules in the total extracts contribute to the antiplasmodial and anti-inflammatory activity. CONCLUSION Canthium henriquesianum seems to possess antimalarial activity in vitro and the ability to inhibit the production of the pyrogenic cytokine IL-1β.

In vitro antiplasmodial activity of crude extracts from Togolese medicinal plants.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the antimalarial effect of a few plants in Togo folk medicine. METHODS After ethnobotanical survey, Opilia celtidifolia, Pavetta corymbosa (P. corymbosa) and Tamarindus indica (T. indica) were selected for screening. In vitro antimalarial tests were performed on crude extracts against fresh clinical isolates of Plasmodium falciparum using the semi microtest. RESULTS Different IC(50) values of the extracts ranged from 2.042 to 100.000 μg/mL. According to the results, the methanol extract of aerial part of P. corymbosa followed by aqueous extract of fruit of T. indica were the most active (IC(50) of 2.042 and 4.786 μg/mL, respectively). Qualitative test revealed the presence of alkaloids in the leaves of P. corymbosa that may be responsible for the activity of the plant. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides scientific evidence for usage of plant in the folk medicine, and further studies are needed for identification and purification of the active principles.