Yao Adjrah

An ethnobotanical study of plants used to treat liver diseases in the Maritime region of Togo

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE In Togo, many persons still rely on plants for healing, however very little is known about the medicinal practices of the indigenous people. The present study aimed to document the medicinal plant utilization for the management of liver diseases in the Maritime region of the country. METHODOLOGY This was an ethnobotanical survey conducted in the Maritime region of Togo from June to August 2015. The data were gathered from 104 traditional healers (TH) by direct interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire. The calculated use values (UV) were used to analyze the importance of the cited plants. RESULTS A total of 99 plant species belonging to 88 genera and 49 families were cited by the TH as curing the hepatic diseases. The most represented families were Caesalpiniaceae with 8 species, followed by Euphorbiaceae with 7 species, Apocynaceae and Asteraceae with 6 species each. The highest UV were recorded with Gomphrena celosioides (0.13), Xylopia ethiopica (0.12), Senna occidentalis (0.12), Bridelia ferruginea (0.12), Cymbopogon citratus (0.12), Kigellia Africana (0.09), Cassia sieberiana (0.08) and Sanseviera liberica (0.08), showing their importance in the management of liver dysfunction in the surveyed region. The main used parts were the leaves, followed by the roots, the whole plant, the rhizome and the bark, accounting for more than 10% each. The herbal medicines were mostly prepared in the form of decoction and administrated by oral route. CONCLUSION This study showed that Maritime region of Togo has an important plant biodiversity that is exploited by the indigenous TH. However, some plants cited by the TH have not been studied for their possible hepatoprotective effects. These plants are therefore a starting point for biological screenings.

Effects of hydroethanolic extracts of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile (Balanitaceae) on some resistant pathogens bacteria isolated from wounds

BACKGROUND The bark of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile (Balanitaceae) is widely used in the Togolese folk medicine for the treatment of wounds, malaria and skin diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant properties and the activity of the bark extract of this plant against some resistant bacteria isolated from wounds. MATERIALS AND METHODS The antimicrobial activity was assayed using the NCCLS microdilution while the DPPH free radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) were used for the antioxidant activity. The susceptibility to conventional antibiotics of bacteria was assessed by an agar disk diffusion method using commercial disk. Phenolics were quantified using spectrophotometric methods. RESULTS The hydroethanolic extracts of the bark inhibited in vitro the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus in a dose-dependent manner. Bacteriostatic effects were observed on 15 (33%) and 21 (47%) strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa respectively. The MICs and MBCs against Staphylococcus aureus strains ranged respectively from 2.5 to 12.5 µg/mL and 2.5 to 50 µg/mL. Concerning Pseudomonas aeruginosa, these values were equal (12.5 µg/mL). Multidrug resistance was 95% against six antibiotics for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 91% against five antibiotics for Staphylococcus aureus. The DPPH radical scavenging and the FRAP assays yielded weak antioxidant activity, closely linked with the total phenolic contents. CONCLUSION This study indicated that the bark extract of Balanites aegyptiaca possess bioactive compounds implicated in the free radical scavenging and antibacterial activities, justifying the use of the plant in the traditional medicines.

Effect of cypermethrin-treated lettuce (Lactuca sativa) on wistar rat liver

Article history: In this study, assessment of the potential effect of cypermethrin-treated lettuce on the rat liver physiology is carried out. Cypermethrin-treated lettuce and three doses of cypermethrin (CY) were administered during 28 days to rats. Along the experimental period, animal behavior was assessed, and at the end of administration, some hepatic enzymes were studied. The decrease in rat body weight was noted and animals have soft feces. Results showed plasmatic concentrations of ALAT, ASAT and total bilirubin increase in rats administered with cypermethrin-treated lettuce. The plasmatic concentration of total protein is not decreased significantly. Those results indicate that lettuce collected without waiting for the recommended pre-harvest intervals, might cause hazardous effects to vegetable consumers. Further investigations are needed to quantify pesticides such as cypermethrin in vegetables sold in the local market for consumption.

Antimicrobial, Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of Jatropha multifida L. (Euphorbiaceae)

Background: Jatropha multifida is used in Togolease folk medicine for the healing of chronic wounds. Objective: This study aims to investigate antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of the leaves ethanolic extract. Materials and Methods: The antimicrobial activity was assayed by National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards broth microdilution method on strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomoas aeruginosa isolated from wounds, whereas the anti-inflammatory activity was performed by carrageenan and histamine induced paw edema method in rat modele. The 2, 2-diphenyl-1picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) were used for the antioxidant activity. Results: The antibacterial assay showed an in vitro growth inhibition of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus in dose-dependent manner, with minimum inhibitory concentration values ranging from 2.5 to 3.12 mg/mL for S. aureus and from 6.25 to 12.5 mg/mL for P. aeruginosa. The maximum paw anti-inflammatory effect occurred after 3 and 5 h administration of histamine and carrageenan, respectively. The DPPH radical scavenging and the FRAP assays yielded weak antioxidant activity. Conclusion: J. multifida possesses antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities that could justify the use of the plant for the treatment of wounds in the folk medicine.

Antimicrobial activities of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile (Balanitaceae) on bacteria isolated from water well

Article history: Bark of Balanites aegyptiaca is used to make well water potable. This study aimed to investigate well water microbiological quality and appreciate antibacterial activity of crude extracts of B. aegyptiaca on bacteria isolated from 60 samples well water. Qualitative chemical analysis of the extract was carried out. Microbiological quality of water well from four health Districts of the city of Lome were evaluated by broth dilution associated with the spread on agar media method. Antimicrobial activity of bark of B. aegyptiaca was assessed using microdilution method. The results indicated that well water samples analysed were contaminated to varying degrees by the total aerobic flora, fecal coliforms and fecal enterococci. The most important phytoconstituents of the back were saponins, coumarins, triterpenes, tannins and steroids. Flavonoids and polyphenols were absent. B. aegyptiaca inhibited significantly the growth of microorganisms isolated from well water. Using B. aegyptiaca in the disinfection of well water would be linked to its action on the causative organisms and its chemical composition.