Purpose: To determine the dose -toxicity profile of the aqueous extract of Nauclea latifolia stem bark (AQE). Methods:

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Ficus exasperata is widely used in african pharmacopoeia against hypertension and edema. The hypotensive effects of aqueous extract of F. exasperata leaves are reduced in the presence of atropine and methylene blue. The treatment of hypertension often requires the combination of antihypertensive drugs and diuretics substances. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of aqueous extract of F. exasperata leaves on urinary excretion in rat. Single doses of this extract (50 mg kg(-1) b.wt.) and furosemide (10 mg kg(-1) b.wt.) were administered to two groups of rats. A control group receives NaCl 9 per thousand. Urine excretion is collected, measured and sampled for 24 hours. At the end of the experiment, blood is sample. Urinary excretion volume induced by this plant extract was relatively high and greater than that induced by furosemide. Aqueous extract of F. exasperata leaves increased urinary excretion of electrolytes, creatinine and urea. However, creatinine and blood urea obtained are similar to those induced by furosemide. At the end of this work, it appears that aqueous extract of F. exasperata leaves induced a significant diuretic effect and electrolyte output which does not alter significantly the rate of electrolytes, creatinine and urea plasma.

Background: Iron metabolism in adolescents during pregnancy is degraded in the world. And yet, very few studies in Côte d'Ivoire are devoted to this public health concern.Methods: This study aims to evaluate and characterize possible changes in iron metabolism in adolescents during pregnancy. Our study involved 112 adolescents aged 15 to 19 in consultation in urban community health centers of Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire). In each adolescent, a blood sample was taken at bend of the elbow in morning on an empty stomach. These blood samples were collected in tubes with anticoagulant (EDTA) and dry tubes. The haematological and biochemical parameters were determined to assess iron status of adolescent in the three trimesters of pregnancy.Results: Findings of study showed that iron stores and all evaluation parameters of iron metabolism were altered in adolescents during pregnancy. Haematological parameters except for MCH and MCHC and serum iron, saturation coefficient of transferrin and serum ferritin were decreased in the third trimester of pregnancy. Conversely, serum transferrin and total iron binding capacity were increased at this same trimester of pregnancy. Anaemia prevalence of 77.7 % among study subjects was observed in third trimester of pregnancy. Moreover, at this stage of pregnancy, no adolescent has indicated normal biological parameter of iron metabolism. In this sense, observed components of iron status were, iron deficiency, iron deficiency anaemia, inflammatory anaemia and inflammatory anaemia associated with iron deficiency. Iron deficiency anaemia is most prevalent among adolescents with 76.8% in the third trimester of pregnancy. Conclusion:Iron metabolism in adolescents of Abidjan is highly altered. This degradation is more significant in third trimester of pregnancy.

RESUMEL'étude des effets de l'extrait aqueux de feuilles de Ficus exasperata (FEFIX) sur la pression artérielle de lapin et sur l'activité contractile du coeur isolé de rat a été réalisée afin de vérifier l'intérêt de l'usage de cette plante dans la pharmacopée africaine pour le traitement des oedèmes et de l'hypertension artérielle. Les composés phytochimiques et les paramètres de la toxicité aiguë de FEFIX ont été déterminés. Des doses croissantes de l'extrait aqueux de FEFIX ont été administrées au lapin afin de déterminer la DE 50 . L'effet de FEFIX a été évalué en présence d'atropine, de bleu de méthylène et après une hypertension induite par l'adrénaline. Différentes concentrations de FEFIX ont été perfusées à un coeur isolé. Les résultats montrent que FEFIX est essentiellement composé d'alcaloïdes, des saponosides et de flavonoïdes. Les valeurs des paramètres de la toxicité aiguë (DMT, DL 50 et DL 100 ) montrent que les doses pharmacologiques utilisées sont non toxiques. FEFIX induit une hypotension qui augmente avec la dose avec une DE 50 égale à 5,46 ± 2,12 mg/kg de poids corporel (p.c.). Cette hypotension est réduite en présence d'atropine et en présence de bleu de méthylène. FEFIX réduit l'hypertension induite par l'adrénaline et ne modifie pas de manière significative l'activité contractile du coeur isolé de rat. Au terme de ce travail, il ressort que l'effet hypotenseur de FEFIX résulterait de son effet cholinomimétique et de son implication dans la libération de monoxyde d'azote (NO), tandis que l'effet antihypertenseur serait dû à l'interaction de ses composés chimiques avec les récepteurs adrénergiques.