An unbalanced or inappropriate diet promotes the onset of the metabolic syndrome, one of the risk factors in the occurrence of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to analyze the food habits of four ethnic groups in southern Benin to assess their impact on the occurrence of the metabolic syndrome. This was a prospective cross-sectional descriptive study that took place over 4 months and identified volunteers aged 18 years or more in four ethnic groups of southern Benin. An interview using a questionnaire collected anthropometric, socio-demographic, behavioral and physical activity data. Informed consent was obtained from each participant in the study. The study population consisted of 497 participants recruited from both departments. The Goun, Tori, Nago and Yoruba ethnic groups were concerned. The average age of participants was 38.85 ± 14.4 years. The sex ratio was 1.67. The preferred foods at breakfast were: porridge (26.76%), attassi (18.91%), pasta (18.51%) and akassa (11.67%) with a female predominance in consumption. Food consumed at lunch was akassa (37.17%), pasta (34.54%), rice (10.9%) and gari (8.08%). Those of the dinner were pasta (62.57%) and akassa (32.19%). The four ethnic groups have almost the same food habits composed largely of oil and starchy foods.

Garcinia kola is a tropical plant which grows in moist forest. It seeds are edible and are consumed for their multiple property. This study aimed at making phytochemical screening and evaluating some biological activities of G. kola organs (bark, leaves and seeds) extracts. The selected organs powdered were used for phytochemical screening and extractions. The antibacterial activity was tested on 10 references strains and 28 meat isolated Staphylococcus strains by agar perforation method. The antifungal activity of three fungal strains was determined on the potato-dextrose agar medium mixed with the tested extract. The antioxidant activity was determined by both DPPH and ABTS methods. The results reveal that 40% of studied secondary metabolites were present in the seeds against 28.57% in the leaves as the bark. The reference and meat isolated strains inhibitory diameter ranged from 28 ± 2.3 mm (S. haemolyticcus) to 7.5 ± 0.70 mm (E. coli). All extracts had a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) lower than 20 mg/ml, while the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was ≥ 20 mg/ml for some tested extracts. The lowest MIC and MBC was 0.039 mg/ml with C. albicans. The fungal strains susceptibility varied (p  0.001) depending on extracts. The seeds ethyl acetate extract displays the better antioxidant activity with DPPH (25.03 ± 3.64 μg/μl) and ABTS (22.99 ± 1.34 µmol EqAA/g) methods. The LD 50 of the extracts was greater than 0.1 mg/ml and not exhibiting toxicity. The leaves extract had the best bactericidal effects while the seeds extract presented better antifungal and antioxidant activity.

Terminalia superba (T. superba) is locally used for the treatment of various diseases, including diabetes mellitus, gastroenteritis, female infertility, abdominal pains, bacterial, fungal and viral infections. This study aimed to ascertain the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of ethanolic and hydro-ethanolic extracts of T. superba barks. Total phenols, flavonoids, and tannins were measured in the extracts by a spectrophotometry method. The DPPH method was used to evaluate extracts antioxidant activity. The antibacterial activity was evaluated using broth micro-dilution method in vitro on Staphylococcus aureus isolated clinical strains from three skin infections (buruli ulcer, furuncles and abscesses) and a Staphylococcus aureus reference strains (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213). Clinical strains were multi drug resistant with or without a virulence factor (Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL).The phytochemical screening of ethanolic and hydroethanolic extracts of T. Superba barks revealed the presence of tannins (catechic and gallic), flavonoids, saponins, free anthracene derivatives, reducing compounds, mucilage. Ethanolic and hydro-ethanolic extracts showed antioxidant activities. Both extracts had antibacterial activities on Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 and S. aureus isolated from skin infections. This study shows that T. superba has high antibacterial and antioxidant activities.