Aim::This study aimed to report medicinal plants that are likely to be used in the control of salmonellosis.Materials and Methods::A cross-sectional study was conducted in Southern Benin. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered to 150 farmers and 100 traditional therapists in seven high municipalities. This step helped to collect plants that are used in the treatment of animal salmonellosis and typhoid fever in human.Results::The results revealed a low level of use of medicinal plants among breeders who prefer antibiotics such as oxytetracycline (53.55%), tylosine + sulfadimerazine (15.30%), and alphaceryl (19.13%). However, plants such as Moringa oleifera (leaves), Carica papaya (leaves and seeds), and Vernonia amygdalina (leaves) were mostly used by some farmers. From traditional therapists, 57 plant species of 32 families were identified as typhoid fever cures; among which Leguminosae, Asteraceae, and Euphorbiaceae were predominant. Persea americana (22.72%), V. amygdalina (7.57%), and Corchorus olitorius (7.57%) were the most cited by traditherapists for the treatment of typhoid fever in human.Conclusion::This study provides a database for further studies on the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of Benin plant species on Salmonella spp. These evaluations will guarantee the availability of new therapeutic solutions for populations.

SummaryObjectives. This study aims to evaluate the antibacterial and chemical properties of some medicinal plants used in the fight against enteropathogens in Benin.Methods. Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Senna siamea, Uvaria chamae, Lantana camara and Phyllantus amarus were tested on 10 bacterial strains. Well diffusion technique, coupled with the microdilution determination of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (CMB) was used for antibacterial testing. The larval cytotoxicity was evaluated by using Artemia salina crustacean larvae. flavonoids and polyphenols were also assayed by the method using aluminum trichloride (AlCl3) and the method using the folin-Ciocalteu reagent, respectively.Results. The results of the study revealed that extracts had an effective antibacterial activity at 100 mg/mL, with MIC between 100 and 25 mg/mL and CMB between 100 and 50 mg/mL. The inhibition diameters of the extracts varied between 7.5 and 21 mm. The ethanolic extract of Phyllantus amarus leaves showed the best antibacterial activity. None of the extracts tested was found to be cytotoxic at the dose of 20 mg/mL. The aqueous Uvaria chamae root extract has the highest polyphenol content (231.896552±0.27586207 in μg EAG/100 mg extract), whereas the aqueous leaf extract of Uvaria chamae is the richest in flavonoids (41.061082 0.43180737 in μg ER/100 mg of extract).Conclusions. These interesting results can be used in the development of improved traditional medicines against enteropathogens. IntroductionInfections caused by enteropathogens are serious forms of infectious pathology. They are a major public health problem that causes millions of deaths a year. This is the case, for example, of foodborne illnesses, causing 17 million deaths a year worldwide, more than half of which come from the African continent (37). Diarrheal diseases are also the cause of 550 million patients each year, including 220 million children under 5 years of age (37). Salmonella, shigella and klebsielles are amongst others epidemiologically active enterobacteria involved in serious infectious diseases.Health management of enteropathogenic diseases is achieved through the use of antibiotics, but their inadequate and often anarchic use has resulted in bacterial resistance (24,36). Indeed, recent data from the bibliography abound with descriptions of bacteria that are multiresistant or even toto-resistant to antibiotics. The number of these bacteria is increasing in both industrialized and developing countries (32). This development of microbial resistance to antibiotics has led researchers to carry out alternative investigations to identify other effective natural remedies against various pathologies in the plant kingdom (18). It has therefore proved essential to look for new antibacterial substances that are effective and have a broad spectrum of action. One of the effective strategies for this research is to explore plants used in traditional Correspondence: Victorien T. Dougnon, Lecturer-Researcher in Microb...

The use of medicinal plants in traditional medicine is a common practice in developing countries. However, this unregulated or irrational use may pose a risk of toxicity to humans in the short and/or long term. Recent studies reported interesting ethnopharmacological, antioxidant, and phytochemical data on some medicinal plants used in the traditional treatment of male infertility in Benin. Unfortunately, very little data exist on the long-repeated dose toxicity of these medicinal plants. This study was aimed at evaluating the larval cytotoxicity and subacute toxicity of the hydroethanolic extract of Cassytha filiformis whole plant, Gardenia ternifolia roots, and Rourea coccinea leaves. The subacute toxicity of these plants was evaluated in male Wistar albino rats at three different doses (200, 400, and 800 mg/kg) according to the OECD 407 guidelines. Hematological and biochemical examinations and the histological study of the liver and kidneys were carried out. Larval cytotoxicity was assessed by the sensitivity of Artemia salina larvae to different concentrations of the studied plants extracts. The mean lethal concentration (LC50) was determined by the probit method. Subacute toxicity data indicated that there was no mortality or structural alterations of the liver and kidneys in the lot of treated animals. However, significant alterations in certain hematological and biochemical parameters (hematocrit, ASAT, and uremia) were noted. These abnormalities were observed in the lot of rats treated with Rourea coccinea and Cassytha filiformis extracts. Larval cytotoxicity data indicate that the studied plants extracts are not cytotoxic (LC50 > 0.1 mg/mL). These data suggest that the use in traditional medicine of studied plants at high doses and repeated over a long period of time requires special attention.

Background: Infectious diseases are serious public health issue both in developing countries and industrialized nations. In developing countries, they are the main cause of high mortality rates. In the second group, existing resistance strains to antibiotics is developing and growing at an alarming rate. The purpose of this study was to produce data of national interest to implement sustainable control program against the spread of antimicrobial resistance strains in Benin. Methods: One hundred and ninety (190) urine samples were collected in selected hospitals in Benin from patients with urinary tract infection. After getting the informed consent from the patients, samples collections were performed under aseptic conditions and cultured for further analysis in the laboratory. The resistance profile of the bacterial strains was established. The search for beta-lactamase production by the isolates was performed using the synergy test for amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and cephalosporins. Mathematical modeling for predicting the development of resistance of the strains by the year 2024 was carried out employing the compartmental deterministic models. Results: Two hundred and thirty (230) strains were identified from the urine samples. Male individuals were the most affected by urinary tract infections. Individuals between the ages of 21-30 were predominantly infected. E. coli was the most isolated species (32.43%) in the urine samples, followed by K. pneumoniae (26.85%) and E. cloacae (25.92%). The susceptibility testing of isolates showed a high resistance to amoxicillin (91.82%). Whereas the lowest resistance was to imipenem (2%). The beta-lactamase was produced by 24.03% of the strains. Escherichia coli (32.43%) was the most productive of broad spectrum beta-lactamase, followed by K. pneumoniae (31.03%). The mathematical modeling revealed a rampant rise in resistance development of the strains to the tested antibiotics. Conclusions: These results provide important data for developing new preventive strategies against the evolution of bacterial resistance to antibiotics. It therefore, further deserves a constructive advocacy so that more actions are taken against the rampant spread of antimicrobial resistance strains in our health facilities as well as in the communities.

Salmonella infections are major public health problems worldwide. The hereby review aimed to establish an overview on the pathogenicity, epidemiology and virulence factors of Salmonella spp. in the world. A systematic search was conducted online using the keywords 'Salmonella', 'Salmonella spp.', 'Salmonella spp. Epidemiology', 'virulence factors of Salmonella spp. in the world', 'bacteria responsible for the contamination of meat products', 'non-typhoid salmonella'. These keywords were entered into databases such as PubMed and Google Scholar using mainly French language. The obtained articles were included based on the reliability of their source, the study area (usually Benin and Africa) and the subject. The review revealed that Salmonella spp. is motile Gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria, of the family Enterobacteriaceae, currently counting more than 2,600 serovars. Human contamination occurs through the ingestion of contaminated water and food and can cause gastroenteritis or typhoid fever, which are two serious public health problems. A gene set constituting the pathogenicity islands determines the pathogenesis of Salmonella spp. The diagnosis is based on bacteriological, serological and molecular techniques. Salmonella infections are usually treated using antibiotics; however, emergence of antibiotic resistance in these microorganisms suggests that the anti-salmonella control should explore new sources such as medicinal plants.

Objective. Mangifera indica Linn, Bridelia ferruginea Benth, and Alstonia boonei De Wild are three plants commonly used in the traditional treatment of urinary tract infections in Benin. This study sets out to assess the cytotoxic and teratogenic effects of extracts of these plants on Artemia salina larvae and hen embryos. Methods and Results. The aqueous and ethanolic extracts were obtained by maceration of the powders in solvents. Larval cytotoxicity was performed on Artemia salina larvae. The teratogenic effect of these plants was evaluated on chick embryos at 100 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg. The extracts were injected on the 7th and 14th days of incubation. The quality of the hatched chicks was evaluated by the Tona score followed by the hematological and the biochemical parameter assays. The extracts did not show cytotoxicity on the larvae. The eggs treated with plant extracts at 300 mg/kg significantly lowered the hatchability rate, except for the Mangifera indica Linn. The chicks obtained were all at the very good quality. Then, no significant variation was observed between hematological parameters except white blood cells. For the biochemical parameters, only ASAT showed some significant variations for a few extracts. It would be important to assess the genotoxicity of the plant extracts to determine more broader toxicity. These data justify the use of these medicinal plants in traditional Beninese medicine and constitute in fact a source of production of anti-infectious drugs.

Benin has attractive ethnobotanical potential with a vast diversity of medicinal plants widely used to treat human diseases. Urinary tract infections are among the diseases traditionally treated by medicinal plants. Mangifera indica, Bridelia ferruginea, Alstonia boonei, Morodora myristica, Xylopia aethiopica and Zanthoxylum zantoxyloides are six plants used in the traditional treatment of urinary infections in Benin. The general objective of this study was to identify the ethnopharmacological uses of these six plants used in traditional medicine in South Benin. To this end, an ethnopharmacological survey was conducted using the semi-structured interview method among herbalists in the markets of South Benin. The ethnobotanical data collected were analyzed using the use-value, the informant consensus factor and the medicinal plant fidelity index. A total of 98 herbalists participated in this study. The six plants studied were involved in 15 different diseases divided into seven disease categories. The most mentioned disease categories are infectious diseases, blood and digestive diseases. Malaria, ulcers, anemia and urinary tract infections are the pathologies most commonly treated by these plants. Informants agreed on the use of these plants in these disease categories. Bark, leafy stems and roots are the parts of the plants most used to treat diseases. Decoction and maceration are the two main methods of preparation, and the oral and cutaneous routes are the main routes of administration. These data constitute ethnopharmacological documentation that can be used for further pharmacological and toxicological studies.

This study aimed to provide data on the subacute toxicity and fetotoxicity of aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts of Daniellia oliveri (Rolfe) Hutch. & Dalziel, Anacardium occidentale L., Diospyros mespiliformis Hochst. ex A. DC., Khaya senegalensis (Desv.) A. Juss., Ocimum gratissimum L., Vernonia amygdalina Delile, Pterocarpus erinaceus Poir., and Manihot esculenta Crantz used in the treatment of diarrheal diseases in Benin. For subacute toxicity, each male and female Wistar rat received by esophageal gavage a maximum of 1000 mg/kg over 28 days following the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guideline No. 407. Bodyweight changes, biochemical and hematological parameters were assessed. The fetotoxicity of the extracts was evaluated on Dutch Blue hen eggs at 100 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg. The hatching rate, biochemical and hematological constants were subsequently determined. The subacute toxicity data did not indicate any mortality or signs of toxicity. Also, no significant difference in the bodyweight of the rats and the hematological parameters was noted. Concerning fetotoxicity, a low hatching rate (varying from 20% to 50%) was observed in the batches treated with the extracts at 300mg/kg compared to the rate obtained in the negative control batch (80%). The batches that received the hydroethanolic extracts of Vernonia amygdalina and Manihot esculenta at the tested doses had a hatching rate of 0%. When looking at hematological parameters, no significant difference was noted for all batches. However, an increase in the Aspartate Amino-Transferase (ASAT) values was noted in the batches that received the hydroethanolic extract of Khaya senegalensis and the aqueous extract of Diospyros mespiliformis at 100 and 300 mg/kg. These results explicitly show that the hydroethanolic extracts of Manihot esculenta and Vernonia amygdalina are fetotoxic at the tested doses.