Background and Objective: Blighia unijugata is usually used for its many therapeutic indications in Côte d'Ivoire. This study evaluated the effects of oral administration of an active butanol fraction of Blighia unijugata for 28 days on some biochemical blood parameters of male rats. Materials and Methods:The active butanolic fraction of Blighia unijugata (BFBu) was prepared by successive liquid-liquid extractions of the total ethanolic extract of this plant with water, hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. Male albino rats (Rattus norvegicus) of Wistar strain were assigned into four groups of six animals each including a control group receiving distilled water and three test groups receiving BFBu at 50; 500 and 1000 mg/kg bw for 28 days respectively. The substances were administered orally, once a day. Blood samples were taken on days 7; 14; 21 and 28 of treatment by puncture at the level of the orbital sinus of the eye of rats previously anesthetized with ether for the determination of biochemical parameters using an automatic analyzer (KENZA MAX Biochemis Try, France). Biochemical analysis included creatinine, urea, total protein, transaminases (AST, ALT), total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, bilirubins (direct and indirect), glucose, electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chlorine, calcium, magnesium) and atherogenicity index.Results: At repeated doses of 50, 500 and 1000 mg/kg bw for 28 days, the extract contributed to a significant increase in certain biochemical parameters such as AST, ALT, urea, creatinine, and total proteins. On the other hand, this same extract evaluated under the previous conditions, caused a decrease in the levels of glucose, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, bilirubins (direct and indirect) and had no noticeable effect on the variation in the concentration of certain electrolytes. Conclusion:At high doses, the active butanol fraction of Blighia unijugata caused mid-term hepatic and renal toxicity. However, at a dose of 50 mg/kg bw, this fraction is non-toxic. This fraction has hypoglycemic effects and does not predispose rats to the risk of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.

Objective: Justicia flava is a plant commonly used in traditional medicine for the treatment of frictions, convulsions, body aches, pains, and fever. The aim of this study was to determine the anti-inflammatory properties of an aqueous extract of J. flava (AEJf) in rats. Methods: Thus, 36 rats were divided into six groups of six rats each for each test. Acute anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by induction of plantar edema following injections of egg albumin, carrageenan, or histamine. AEJf and aspirin (100 mg/kg bw) were orally administered to rats with doses ranged from 62.5 to 500 mg/kg bw before (preventive study) and after (curative study) the induction of edema. The rat’s paw edema was measured using a digital caliper thereafter. For a sub-chronic anti-inflammatory activity, sterilized cotton pellets (20±0.5 mg) were implanted in the anterior dorsal region for granuloma formation. Animals received the different doses of AEJf (62.5–500 mg/kg bw) for 7 days and on the 8th day, cotton pellets were removed and weighed, dried, and weighed again. Results: The results of the oral administration of AEJf at doses of 62.5, 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg bw to rats showed similar acute anti-inflammatory properties such as aspirin (100 mg/kg bw) on carrageenan (1%), fresh egg albumin, and histamine injection-induced rats’ paw edema. AEJf caused 77.63% (preventive study) and 28.1% (curative study) inhibitions of carrageenan (1%) solution-induced paw edema and 61% (preventive study) and 29.62% (curative study) inhibitions of fresh egg albumin-induced paw edema. AEJf also inhibited histamine-induced edema (1 mg/mL) by 83.67% compared to the control group. AEJf significantly reduced the weight of granuloma tissue elicited by the insertion of sterile cotton pellets from 34.53 to 46.98% for wet cottons and from 45.73 to 59.45% for dry cottons. Conclusion: AEJf possessed anti-inflammatory activity on acute and sub-chronic inflammations in rats.

Ageratum conyzoïdes (Aerial part) is a medicinal plant commonly used in traditional medicine in Côte d'Ivoire in the treatment of various diseases including bleeding. The objevctives of this study were investigated the hemostatic effects of A. conyzoïdes aqueous aerial part extract at differents volume in vitro, using blood samples from apparently healthy human volunteers. Its properties have been identified by hematologic tests such as coagulation time, prothrombin and activated cephalin time. The results showed that the aqueous extract of A. conyzoïdes (100 mg/mL) significantly (p < 0.001) reduced clotting time, prothrobin time, and activated cephalin time compared to the control (administered with only NaCl 0.9 %) in the blood obtained from the volunteers. In contrast, the aqueous extract did not influence thrombocytes count (p > 0.05). The aqueous leaf extract of A. conyzoïdes in a volume of 0.5 mL in this study had coagulation properties, which indicates the positive hemostatic effect on in vitro method. In cconclusion, this study justifies its use to traditionally stop bleeding.

Blighia unijugata is a very widespread forest species in tropical Africa. It is usually used to treat various pathologies including hypertension. This study aims at evaluating the safety use of butanolic fraction of Blighia unijugata leaves (BuF) on some haematological parameters, body weight and relative organ weights in Wistar rats. Twenty-four adult male rats were randomly divided into four groups of six rats each. The control group was repeatedly administered by oral route with distilled water at 10 mL/kg bw for 28 days while test groups 2, 3 and 4 were repeatedly gavaged with BuF extract at 50, 500 and 1000 mg/kg bw respectively. Blood withdrawls were performed at days 7, 14, 21 and 28 using EDTA tubes by ocular puncture from fasted rats previously anesthetized with ether in order to assess BuF extract influence on some haematological parameters. At the end of the twenty-eight days of treatment, rats were weighed and sacrificed. Kidneys, liver, spleen and heart were removed and their relative organ weights were determined. The results showed that BuF extract induced a non-significant decrease (P>0.05) in some haematological parameters such as erythrocytes, haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), leucocytes, lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes and significant (P<0.05) in hematocrit and thrombocytes in the treated rats compared to the control group. However, no significant changes (P>0.05) were observed in body weight and the relative organ weights such as heart, liver, kidneys and spleen during this study. This study indicates that butanolic fraction of Blighia unijugata leaves (BuF) administered to rats decreases hematocrit and thrombocyte levels at 50, 500 and 1000 mg/kg bw and is safe for other hematological parameters and body weight in rats.

This study aims to evaluate the nutritional status of adolescents attending two secondary schools in Gagnoa (Côte d'Ivoire) based on anthropometric parameters. A sample of 184 adolescents was recruited in the secondary schools 1 and 2 of Gagnoa. Measurements of body mass and height were made using a scale and a measuring board equipped with a tape measure respectively. Anthropometric indices (height-forage Z-score and BMI-forage Z-score) were calculated according to the WHO (2007) growth references for 5-19 years old children. Mean age was 14.9 ± 0.2 years, mean body weight was 48.2 ± 0.7 kg and mean height was 156.1 ± 0.7 cm. The results of this study revealed a deficit of 13% and an underweight of 8.7%. Undernutrition in the population is characterized by 1.6% severe chronic undernutrition, 11.4% moderate chronic undernutrition, 8.7% moderate acute malnutrition and 0.5% severe acute malnutrition. The prevalence of obesity in this population was 0.5%. The assessment of the nutritional status of the adolescents attending the two secondary schools of Gagnoa has revealed deficiency stature and thinness among students.

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