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In Mali, the Malarial-5 which is an improved traditional medicine (ITM) made partly with the leaves of Lippia chevalieri is used to treat symptoms of uncomplicated malaria. One of the issues related to the production of this ITM is the quality of the raw material. The present work aimed to control the quality of the leaves from cultivated plants of L. chevalieri. This study was carried out from 2015 to 2016 in Mali. The morphology of the stem, leaves and the flowers of the cultivated plants was determined through their description. In addition, organoleptic and microscopical features of the leaves’ powder were examined. The findings revealed the presence of some macroscopic elements, organoleptic features and microscopic characters needful for the botanical control of L. chevalieri. Key words: Lippia chevalieri Moldenke, botanical quality control, improved traditional medicine, Mali.

Phytochemical study and research on acute toxicity were performed on the aerial parts (leaves and stems) of Euphorbia hirta Linn. The phytochemical screening and chromatography revealed the presence of saponin, sterol, terpene, alkaloids, polyphenols, tannins and flavonoids and especially mucilage. The evaluation of total polyphenols and total flavonoids gave 120.97 ± 7.07 gallic acid equivalents (GAE) mg/g (mg of GAE/g of extract) of dry extract and 41.4 ± 0.5 mg quercetin equivalent per gram (QE/g) (mg of QE/g of plant extract) of dry extract respectively. The physicochemical study revealed moisture content of 7.73% ± 0.00%, total ash 7.48% ± 0.03%. Sulfuric ash 9.05% ± 0.01%, hydrochloric acid insoluble ash of 0.8% ± 0.02%. The search for minerals salt revealed the presence of Cr, Zn, K, Ca and Mg having an important role in glucose metabolism. The acute toxicity study showed that the toxic dose may be above 3000 mg/kg. The results of these studies indicate that extracts from the leaves and stem of E. hirta Linn. contains trace elements and minerals salt and bioactive secondary metabolites which explain their therapeutic uses for treating diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus affects more and more people in poor areas of developing countries. The search for an adequate treatment and within the reach of the population has moved us to select the leaves of Ocimum gratissimum. Phytochemical screening was carried out on one hand, detecting major groups of secondary metabolites, on infused 10% aqueous and on the other hand minerals salt in point microanalysis dispersive spectrometry. Toxic test was carried out using white mice CF1 type. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of saponin, sterol and terpenes, alkaloid polyphenols, tannins and flavonoids and especially mucilage. The amounts of total polyphenols and total flavonoids were respectively 11.98 mg EAG/g and 3.99 mg EQ/g of dry extract. The phytochemical screening revealed moisture content of 8.97%, total ash of 8.45%, sulfuric ash of 10.27% and ash insoluble in hydrochloric acid 0.96%. The presence of Cu, Zn, K, Ca and Mg having an important role in glucose metabolism was revealed. The study of acute toxicity showed that the toxic dose could be greater than 3000 mg/kg. Also, the leaves are eaten as human food by some people. The results of the studies indicated that the leaves of Ocimum gratissimum contains minerals and bioactive secondary metabolites that, in combination, may explain their therapeutic uses for treating diabetes mellitus.

Nine new ester saponins (1-9) were isolated from the roots of Entada africana. Their structures were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR experiments including 1D and 2D TOCSY, DQF-COSY, HSQC, and HMBC spectroscopy, as well as ESIMS analysis, and chemical methods. The aglycon moieties were found to be echinocystic acid for compounds 1, 2, 4-6, 8, and 9 and acacic acid for 3 and 7. All isolated compounds were tested for their antiproliferative activity against the J774.A1, HEK-293, and WEHI-164 cell lines. Moderate to high cytotoxic potency was found for almost all compounds tested.

Lannea microcarpa (Anacardiaceae) is a tropical tree used in African folk medicine and commercial dermopharmaceutical formulations. Fractionation and analysis of its polar extract allowed the identification of 4′-methoxy-myricetin 3-O-α-l-rhamnopyranoside, myricetin 3-O-α-l-rhamnopyranoside, myricetin 3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, vitexin, isovitexin, gallic acid and epi-catechin, as the major constituents. In-vivo assay (the croton oil ear test in mice) showed that the extract had significant anti-inflammatory effect (ID50 = 900 μg cm2) but ten times lower than that of indometacin (ID50 = 93 μg cm2), the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used as reference. Cytotoxicity and cutaneous irritation of the extract and its constituents were investigated. The crude extract and its major components did not affect cell viability in-vitro either in three different cultures (J774.A1, WEHI-164 and HEK-293) of cells grown in monolayers or in the reconstituted human epidermis (RHE, 3D model), nor did they cause release of pro-inflammatory mediators (IL-1α) or histomorphological modification of RHE.

The essential oils from the aerial parts of Vernonia colorata (Willd.) Drake and Vernonia nigritiana Oliver et Hiern. (Asteraceae) grown wild in Mali were obtained by hydrodistillation. 115 components have been identified in the oils that have shown a different composition, both qualitative and quantitative.