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Trichilia rokaChiov. (Meliaceae) is a tree widely distributed in tropical Africa. It has been used in Mali folk medicine for the treatment of various illnesses. A decoction of the roots is taken as a remedy for colds and pneumonia, and it is used as a diuretic and in hepatic disorders. We have evaluated the hepatoprotective effects of a decoction of Trichilia rokaroot on CCl4‐induced acute liver damage in rats. Treatment with the decoction showed a significant protective action made evident by its effect on the levels of glutamate oxalacetate transaminase and glutamate pyruvate transaminase in the serum, on the protein content and lipid peroxidation levels in the liver homogenate. Histopathological changes produced by CCl4, such as necrosis, fatty change, ballooning degeneration and inflammatory infiltration of lymphocytes around the central veins, were clearly recovered by the treatment with Trichiliaroot decoction. On fractionating this extract into diethyl ether‐soluble and water‐soluble fractions, the activity was retained in the diethyl ether‐soluble fraction. Moreover, the administration of decoction prevented a preferential deposition of collagen around the sinusoidal cell layer, which is responsible for the perisinusoidal fibrosis in the early stage of CCl4damage. This study showed that treatment with Trichilia rokaextracts or silymarin (as reference) appeared to enhance the recovery from CCl4‐induced hepatotoxicity. The hepatoprotective properties of Trichilia rokamay be correlated to polyphenol content of the decoction and its diethyl ether‐soluble fraction.

Trichilia rokaChiov. (Meliaceae) is a tree widely distributed in tropical Africa. It has been used in Mali folk medicine for the treatment of various illnesses. A decoction of the roots is taken as a remedy for colds and pneumonia, and it is used as a diuretic and in hepatic disorders. We have evaluated the hepatoprotective effects of a decoction of Trichilia rokaroot on CCl4-induced acute liver damage in rats. Treatment with the decoction showed a significant protective action made evident by its effect on the levels of glutamate oxalacetate transaminase and glutamate pyruvate transaminase in the serum, on the protein content and lipid peroxidation levels in the liver homogenate. Histopathological changes produced by CCl4, such as necrosis, fatty change, ballooning degeneration and inflammatory infiltration of lymphocytes around the central veins, were clearly recovered by the treatment with Trichiliaroot decoction. On fractionating this extract into diethyl ether-soluble and water-soluble fractions, the activity was retained in the diethyl ether-soluble fraction. Moreover, the administration of decoction prevented a preferential deposition of collagen around the sinusoidal cell layer, which is responsible for the perisinusoidal fibrosis in the early stage of CCl4damage. This study showed that treatment with Trichilia rokaextracts or silymarin (as reference) appeared to enhance the recovery from CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity. The hepatoprotective properties of Trichilia rokamay be correlated to polyphenol content of the decoction and its diethyl ether-soluble fraction.

The effect of Mitracarpus scaberon carbon tetrachloride‐induced acute liver damage in the rat has been evaluated.

The effect of Mitracarpus scaberon carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver damage in the rat has been evaluated.Results showed that treatment with Mitracarpus scaberdecoction resulted in significant hepatoprotection against CCl4-induced liver injury both in-vivo and in-vitro. In-vivo, Mitracarpus scaberpretreatment reduced levels of serum glutamate-oxalate-transaminase (P< 0.01 for 250, 500 and 1000 mg kg−1) and serum glutamate-pyruvate-transaminase (P< 0.05 for 250 mg kg−1and P <0.01 for 1000 mg kg−1) previously increased by administration of CCl4. In-vitro results indicated that addition to the culture medium of Mitracarpus scaberextracts significantly reduced glutamate-oxalate-transaminase (P< 0.05 for 100 μg mL−1and P <0.01 for 10 and 1000 μg mL−1) and lactate dehydrogenase activity (P< 0.05 for 10 μg mL−1). Mitracarpustreatment also resulted in a good (> 93%) survival rate for the CCl4-intoxicated hepatocytes as demonstrated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. Moreover, as in the in-vitro assay, Mitracarpus scaberhad radical-scavenging properties, shown by its reaction with the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical (EC50, the extract concentration resulting in a 50% reduction in the absorbance of DPPH blank solution, = 41.64 ± 1.5 μg mL−1).The results of this study showed that Mitracarpus scaberhad antihepatotoxic potential, a finding which supports the validity of traditional usage of this drug in Mali for the treatment of liver diseases.

The leaf decoction of Guiera senegalensis possesses an antitussive activity. The antitussive activity of Guiera was evaluated using the classical citric acid-evoked cough model in guinea-pigs. The leaf decoction of the leaves of Guiera dose-dependently decreased the number of coughs. The cytotoxicity test showed that the acute cytotoxic concentration of Guiera decoction was >1000 μg/mL. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The antimicrobial properties of a decoction and methanol extract of 13 plant species used in the traditional medicine of Mali, for fever and respiratory tract diseases, have been tested for in vitroantibacterial activity against clinically isolated bacterial strains: Haemophilus influenzae(6 strains); Staphylococcus aureus(5 strains); Streptococcus pneumoniae(3 strains); Streptococcus pyogenes(8 strains) and Moraxella catarrhalis(5 strains) responsible for respiratory infections.

The effect of Entada africanaextracts on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)‐induced acute liver damage was evaluated. Plasma enzyme levels, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT), alkaline phosphatase, hepatic 5′‐nucleotidase activity and triglyceride levels increased with CCl4administration, were lowered by pretreatment with Entadaextracts. The results of this study showed that Entada,according to its therapeutic indication in various liver diseases in traditional medicine, could afford a protective action against CCl4‐induced hepatocellular injury. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The leaf decoction of Guiera senegalensispossesses an antitussive activity. The antitussive activity of Guierawas evaluated using the classical citric acid‐evoked cough model in guinea‐pigs. The leaf decoction of the leaves of Guieradose‐dependently decreased the number of coughs. The cytotoxicity test showed that the acute cytotoxic concentration of Guieradecoction was >1000 μg/mL. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The essential oils from aerial parts of Teucrium divaricatum Heldr. ssp. divaricatum harvested at two different stages of maturity, were isolated by hydrodistillation. The oils of T. divaricatum were complex mixtures consisting mainly of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons with percentages varying from 62.5% to 53.1% with δ-cadinene being the most abundant component. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The essential oils from aerial parts of Teucrium divaricatumHeldr. ssp. divaricatumharvested at two different stages of maturity, were isolated by hydrodistillation. The oils of T. divaricatumwere complex mixtures consisting mainly of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons with percentages varying from 62.5% to 53.1% with δ‐cadinene being the most abundant component. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The effect of Entada africana extracts on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced acute liver damage was evaluated. Plasma enzyme levels, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT), alkaline phosphatase, hepatic 5'-nucleotidase activity and triglyceride levels increased with CCl4 administration, were lowered by pretreatment with Entada extracts. The results of this study showed that Entada, according to its therapeutic indication in various liver diseases in traditional medicine, could afford a protective action against CCl4-induced hepatocellular injury. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The antimicrobial properties of a decoction and methanol extract of 13 plant species used in the traditional medicine of Mali, for fever and respiratory tract diseases, have been tested for in vitro antibacterial activity against clinically isolated bacterial strains: Haemophilus influenzae (6 strains); Staphylococcus aureus (5 strains); Streptococcus pneumoniae (3 strains); Streptococcus pyogenes (8 strains) and Moraxella catarrhalis (5 strains) responsible for respiratory infections. The results obtained showed that the extracts from Anogeissus leiocarpus, Guiera senegalensis (Combretaceae) and Diospyros mespiliformis (Ebenaceae), have a significant activity against all strains of bacteria tested. Crossopteryx febrifuga and Pteolopsis suberosa showed moderate activity only against S. aureus. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.