Launaea taraxacifolia is a leafy vegetable of the family of Asteraceae (Compositae) found in several countries in West Africa including Ghana, Benin and Nigeria. The plant leaves are eaten either fresh as salad or cooked as sauces. They are also consumed as infusion to fight against several diseases including non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. Several studies have been conducted in Ghana, Nigeria on the nutritional and medicinal values of this plant but no study has yet been conducted in Benin on the virtues of this plant. In this work we have achieved the phytochemical characterization and evaluated the cytotoxicity as well as hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects of the ethanol-aqueous extracts of Launaea taraxacifolia leaves. Cytotoxicity and hypolipidemic activities have been performed on HepG2 cells; the antioxidant effect has been performed on the PLB985 cells. The results showed that the ethanol-aqueous extracts of Launaea taraxacifolia leaves contained the following metabolites: catechic tannin, flavonoids, phenolic acids, mucilage and leucoanthocyanins. Only very high concentrations (>20 mg/ml) of leaves extracts are toxic for HepG2 cells. Launaea taraxacifolia leaves have significant antioxidant and hypolipidemic activities.

This work aims to study the chemical composition and to evaluate the antimicrobial activity, for the first time, of essential oil and non-volatile extracts of Artabotrys velutinus against Klebsiella pneumoniae 818E, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25933, three clinical strains of reference. The chemical analysis of essential oil of Artabotrys velutinus by GC and GC-MS showed that this oil rich in aromatic components (62.6%) and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (29.9%) contains 30 compounds representing 98.9% of the oil. The major components of the essential oil were benzyl benzoate (61.2%) also called ascabiol with and E-β-caryophyllene (9.1%). The phytochemical screening of leaves powder of Artabotrys velutinus revealed the presence of saponins, catechin tannins, mucilages, flavonoids, alkaloid, anthocyanins, leuco-anthocyanins, reducing compounds, sterols and terpenes. The in vitro antibacterial activity of the extracts by agar diffusion method showed that only the ethanolic extract of the plant was more effective against E. coli with the highest inhibition zone of 13 mm at 100mg/mL and Minimal Inhibitory Concentration equal to 50 mg/mL. However, the activity of ethanolic extract of this plant was less active than those of reference antibiotics chloramphenicol and gentamycin which were very effective against the strains tested. In sum, essential oil of Artabotrys velutinus and its hydroethanolic extract present weakness antimicrobial activity contrary to its ethanolic extract which possesses moderate activity against clinical strains tested. This study suggests the used of ethanolic extract of Artabotrys velutinus in combination with others active extracts to fight against E. coli.

Antioxidants are a family of substances that can neutralize free radicals and prevent and/or treat diseases associated with oxidative stress such as male’s infertility. Medicinal plants are one of the main sources of antioxidants. Aim: This work was aimed at evaluating the chemical and antioxidant potential of different extracts from some plants used in traditional Beninese medicine for the treatment of male infertility. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out on aqueous, hydro-ethanolic and ethanolic extracts from of the roots of Gardenia ternifolia (G. ternifolia), the whole plant of Cassytha filiformis (C. filiformis), the leaves of Rourea coccinea (R. coccinea) and the seed of Garcinia kola (G .kola). Quantification of the total polyphenols and flavonoids content of these extracts was evaluated respectively by the method using Folin Ciocalteu and the method using Aluminum trichloride. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated by molecular spectrophotometry using the free radical scavenging of DPPH and FRAP methods. Results: The results obtained indicated a variation of total polyphenols and flavonoids content according to the type of extract. Hydro-ethanolic extract of the various plants studied has a high polyphenols and flavonoids content. In variable proportions, all the extracts tested reduced the DPPH radical and ferric iron, reflecting their antioxidant potential. The best antioxidant activity has been obtained with the hydro-ethanolic extracts. Conclusion: This study showed that all the plant's extracts studied have antioxidant activity that varies with the type of extract. However, the hydro-ethanolic extractions showed the best antioxidant activities. The data obtained in the present study justified the use of these plants in management of pathologies involving oxidative stress.

<p>Despite its prominent place in development strategies, poultry breeding faces many constraints, including pathological ones. Among pathologies that affect poultry, colibacillosis is one of the most diseases that are communicable to humans and associated with heavy economic losses. To fight efficiently against avian colibacillosis, the work aimed to evaluate antimicrobial potential evaluation of non-volatile extracts of <em>Euphorbia hirta</em> and <em>Psidium guajava</em>, as well as the essential oils of <em>Clausena anisata</em> and <em>Aeollanthus pubescens</em> extracts and two commercial antibiotics namely tetracolivit and Oxytetracyclin against <em>Escherichia coli</em>. To achieve this goal, susceptibility tests were performed on a strain of <em>E. coli</em> using agar diffusion and microdilution methods. Results obtained showed that essential oils from <em>Clausena anisata</em> and non-volatile extracts tested were not active on <em>E coli</em>. However, the essential oils extracted from <em>Aeollanthus pubescens</em> were active on the <em>E. coli</em> with MIC of 0.44 ± 0.21 mg/ml and MBC of 0.87 ± 0.41mg / ml for the oil of the whole part, followed respectively by flower oil  (MBC = 0.99 mg/ml) and leaf stem oil (MBC= 1.62 mg / ml). Comparing the activity of the essential oils of <em>Aeollanthus</em> with antibiotics tested, we noticed that tetracolivit was more active with MBC =0.15±0.07mg/ml on <em>E. coli</em> than these extracts which were more active than Oxytetracyclin (MBC=2.34±1.11mg/ml). In sum, the study showed that for a better management of avian collibacillosis in Benin, the tetracolivit is suitable as antibiotic which can be substituted by <em>Aeollanthus pubescens </em>essential oils.</p>