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Objectives: Psorospermum febrifugum Spach. (Clusiaceae) is a medicinal plant found in Africa. It root bark was used in Benin to treat anaemia. This work aimed to study the therapeutic efficacy of that root bark extract on anaemia treatment. Methodology and Results: Wistar Rats were anaemic by intraperitoneal injection of phenylhydrazine chloridrate. The rats were then fed either with Psorospermum febrifugum Spach root bark extract at 200 or 300 mg / kg weight / day, or with vitafer® as the reference drug. Non-anaemic rats served as controls. The blood count and osmotic resistance of red blood cells carried out on blood samples of rats at different days (D0, D2, D7, J10 and D15) showed a correction of anaemia with the extract in two weeks. The extract screening revealed saponosides, reducing sugars, polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, proteins, anthocyanins and alkaloids. Conclusion and application of results:The extract completely corrected anaemia in two weeks by increased stimulation of hemoglobin synthesis and the production of young red blood cells released into the blood. Its effect seems dose-dependent and at the 300 mg / Kg dose was even more effective than the vitafer. This remarkable efficiency would certainly be linked to its chemical composition, whose elements would act in an isolated or synergistic way to stimulate haematopoiesis.. In addition, the extract had no effect on blood thrombocytes suggesting a certain specificity of action on the erythrocyte line. Psorospermum febrifugum Spach root bark had an excellent therapeutic efficacy and could be a good candidate for transformation into improved traditional medicines (ITM) for anaemia treatment, after acute and chronic toxicity tests and appropriate clinical trials.

Psorospermum febrifugum Spach (Clusiaceae) was a tropical plant whose root bark was used to treat anemia. This work aimed to evaluate the safety of the ethyl acetate fraction of the aqueous extract of this bark. Methods: The ethyl acetate fraction of the extract was administered to Wistar rats in a single dose of 2000 mg / Kg body weight for acute oral toxicity test or daily doses of 200 mg / Kg of body weight during 28 days for sub-chronic oral toxicity test, as recommended by the OECD. At day 0, then at day 14 for the acute phase and day 28 for the sub-chronic phase, the rats were weighed and their blood collected for tests. The activity of transaminases AST and ALT were measured in the liver function tests, blood urea and creatinine were measured for renal function tests and blood leukocytes were counted for the immune balance. These analyzes were supplemented by the histology of the liver, kidneys and spleen, an immune organ. Results: In acute and sub-chronic oral toxicity tests, rat’s weight, liver, kidney and immune balances as well as these organs histology were not affected, suggesting the safety of the extract fraction. Conclusion: The ethyl acetate fraction of the aqueous extract of the root bark of Psorospermum febrifugum did not reveal any acute or sub-chronic oral toxicity. This effect could be related to its richness in flavonoids which have cytoprotective effects. The study of biological tolerance deserves to be continued by the chronic toxicity test and appropriate clinical trials.

Introduction: Jatropha multifida Lin was a plant of traditional Beninese medicine used as an antibiotic. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity and the toxicity of the sap and the aqueous extract of Jatropha multifida leaves. Methods: Phytochemical screening of Jatropha multifida leaves was carried out. The extract was obtained by maceration. The antimicrobial activity of sap and leaves was evaluated on the five strains of hospital germs. Acute oral toxicity by forced gavage in a single dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight was performed on female Wistar rats. Biochemical and hematological parameters were determined. Results: The presence of flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, anthocyanins, mucilages, leuco-anthocyanins and saponosides was noted in the leaves of Jatropha multifida. The aqueous extracts of the leaves inhibited two strains of Staphylococcus aureus out of three, while the sap of Jatropha multifida was 100% bactericidal against the strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus D. The sap and aqueous leaf extract were not bactericidal on strains of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. For the toxicity, there was no death of rats and the aqueous extract of the leaves did not significantly vary the weight of the rats, the crea-

Description of the Subject: Senna alata (L.) was a plant in the Benin pharmacopoeia used to treat skin infections. Objectives: The aim of our work was to test its harmlessness in vivo. Method: Wistar rats received by gavage a single dose of 2000 mg/kg of Senna alata leaves aqueous extract for the Acute Oral Toxicity (AOT) test. For the sub-Chronic Oral Toxicity (SCT) test, rats force-fed the extract at a daily dose of 300 mg/Kg of body weight for 28 days. The weight of the rats was taken and the blood samples were collected on Day 0, then respectively day 14 for the AOT and Day 28 for the SCT. The renal balance was carried out by dosage of the creatinine, the liver balance by the transaminases AST and ALT and the blood balance by the hemogram. The liver, kidneys and spleen were removed for histological analysis. The results were analyzed using the Student test, with the significance level set at 5%. Results: The weight of the rats did not change significantly in the acute or subchronic oral toxicity tests suggesting an absence of physical disturbance in the rats. Serum creatinine did not vary significantly, suggesting preservation of renal function. That was the same for ASAT and ALAT transaminases, indicating an absence of hepatic cytolysis.

Background: Sickle cell disease was a genetic pathology of the red blood cell, which caused systemic functional and tissue damage. The present work aimed to study some biomarkers of inflammation and renal function in sickle cell patients.Methods: The biochemical and inflammatory markers were assayed with a spectrophotometer and the hemogram was performed on a hematology analyzer in SS homozygous sickle cell subjects and controls with AA phenotypes.Results: The male sex (63.49%) and the age group 5-18 years (58.73%) were predominant among the SS subjects of the study population. Blood urea and serum creatinine were significantly higher in SS, suggesting impaired renal function. Serum uric acid was significantly lower in SS. Aspartate transaminase (AST) was significantly higher in SS and alanine transaminase (ALT) did not change significantly, indicating significant cytolysis. Mean hemoglobin level was significantly lower in SS, signifying more hemolysis. The mean number of blood leukocytes, neutrophils, eosinophilia, lymphocytes and monocytes were significantly higher in SS. There was the same for C-reactive protein, the concentration of which was very high (96 mg/l) in 34.92% of sickle cell patients against 1.75% in AA, indicating an inflammatory state in sickle cell disease. In contrast, the mean number of blood platelets was significantly lower in SS.Conclusions: During sickle cell disease, there were inflammation, cytolysis and disturbance of renal function as well as anemia. The early evaluation of these biological markers may prevent complications and crises of sickle cell disease.

La prise en charge des maladies parasitaires comme la coccidiose et les nématodioses qui sévissent dans les élevages d’aulacodes au Bénin fait appel à diverses pratiques incluant l’utilisation des ressources végétales. Cette étude visait à explorer les pratiques de prise en charge traditionnelle des affections parasitaires des aulacodes au Sud-Bénin et les propriétés antiparasitaires des pépins de citron. Dans ce sens, une enquête ethno-vétérinaire sur le traitement des maladies des aulacodes, une analyse coprologique de 150 échantillons de fèces d’aulacodes et l’exploration des propriétés antiparasitaires des pépins de citron ont été effectuées. Les résultats obtenus ont prouvé l’effet anthelminthique des pépins de citron en accord avec ses usages indiqués par 88,65% des éleveurs d’aulacodes enquêtés. Les élevages sont infestés par les coccidies (150.000 OPG soit 72,73%), les trichures (1200 OPG soit 36,36%) et les strongles (600 OPG soit 9,09%). Cette étude a révélé que les maladies parasitaires des aulacodes sont prises en charge traditionnellement par l’usage de plantes avec une activité antiparasitaire prouvée des pépins de citron. Elle aidera les éleveurs à minimiser les coûts de production et l’usage des anthelminthiques vétérinaires.

Cocos nucifera was a coastal plant whose roots were used in pharmacopoeia to treat anemia in Benin. The aqueous extract from its roots stimulated the synthesis of hemoglobin. The aim of this work was to test in vivo the efficacy of the butanolic fraction of the extract in the treatment of anemia. Methods: Wistar rats were anemic with phenylhydrazine for two days. From D2 to D15, some were treated by gavage with the butanolic fraction of the aqueous extract of Cocos nucifera roots at the dose of 40 mg or 60 mg/kg of body weight/day, others were treated with vitafer (an anti-anemic drug) or with distilled water. The rats blood were collected on days D0, D2, D7, D10 and D15 for the complete blood count and the osmotic resistance of the red blood cells. Results: On D2, phenylhydrazine significantly lowered the hemoglobin level and the number of red blood cells, which were respectively corrected on D10 and D15 by the fraction of extract with release of hypochromic macrocytes. However, the effect was slower than that of the crude extract, was not specific to erythropoiesis because it also stimulated thrombopoiesis and was not dose-dependent. Conclusion: The butanolic fraction of the aqueous extract of Cocos nucifera roots corrected anemia by stimulation of hematopoiesis. The observed biological activity would probably be linked to anthocyanins which are mainly isolated by butanol. These results contribute to a better knowledge of bioactive compounds of our antianemic plants.