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A survey was conducted in the central region of Burkina Faso to find out about women's menopause-related disorders and their treatment in traditional medicine. Fifty-six (56) species have been identified to treat different symptoms such as hot flashes, insomnia, nausea, joint and muscle pain, itching, lower abdominal pain, edema, mood disorders, vertigo. Leaves and stem bark were the most recommended in the preparation of recipes, at 43 and 39% respectively. The majority of the species (60.72%) was local food plants with a high use value (UVs ≥ 0.50). Many chemical groups including alkaloids, polyphenols, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, sterols, triterpenes, anthraquinones, carotenoids, anthracenosides, phenolic acids, coumarins, capable of reducing or eliminating these different symptoms exist in these plants. Also, the presence of several mineral elements such as Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), Phosphorus (P), Sodium (Na), Aluminum (Al), Iron (Fe), Potassium (K), Iodine (I), Vitamins A, B, C, F, K, P, E, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, fibers, resins and gum show the importance of these plants in human nutrition. These local plants are therefore potential sources for the development of new natural nutraceuticals in the management of menopausal period in women. Key words: Menopause, medicinal plants, nutrients, phytoestrogens.

Acacia seyal and Acacia tortilis are used in the treatment of infectious diseases in traditional medicine by population in Northern Burkina Faso. Phytochemical screening by tube test and on HPTLC plates showed the presence of important chemical compounds in these plants. Determination of total phenolic content using method of Folin-Ciocalteu Reagent (FCR) and antioxidant activity by 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test, showed that this biological activity is related to phenolic content. The trunk bark of A. tortilis had an important antioxidant activity with IC50 value of 0.01±0.01 µg/mL due to its highest content (p

Background Ziziphus mauritiana Lam. is a plant used in traditional medicine in Burkina Faso in the treatment of several diseases, of which diabetes is characterized by oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant potential of the extracts of leaves of this plant. Methods The crude hydroethanolic extract (HEE) of the leaves of Z. mauritiana and their partitionates in n-hexane, dichloromethane, and ethyl acetate, and in the residual aqueous solution (the F1, F2, F3, and F4 fractions, respectively) were first prepared. The content of polyphenols was determined and the antioxidant effects of the extracts were evaluated by their 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity, inhibition of lipid peroxidation (TBARS), and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). Results The HEE as well as the F3 and F4 fractions were rich in polyphenols with contents between 58 and 84 mg equivalent gallic acid per 100 mg. The flavonoid content was 4 mg quercetin equivalents in the HEE and the F4 fraction. Except for the F1 fraction, the HEE and the other fractions showed significant DPPH scavenging activity (IC50 between 8 and 12 μg/mL). The IC50 of TBARS by different extracts was in the range 1–5 μg/mL, and the FRAP activity was 7–85 mg ascorbic acid equivalent per 100 mg. Total polyphenol content was highly correlated with the antioxidant activities. Conclusions The HEE, F3, and F4 fractions were found to be the richest in polyphenols and had the best antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity of the extracts of the leaves of Z. mauritiana is due to these polyphenolic compounds.

Background:Anogeissus leiocarpusis a Sahel tree traditionally used by the residents of Burkina Faso for its antihypertensive properties. In this study, experiments were conducted to evaluate whether an aqueous extract of theAnogeissus leiocarpus(AEAL) trunk bark induces a vasorelaxant effect on porcine coronary artery rings and to investigate the underlying mechanism.Methods:AEAL-induced relaxations were assessed using porcine coronary artery rings suspended in organ chambers. The phosphorylation levels of Src, Akt and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) were assessed in a primary endothelial cell culture by Western blot. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation was assessed using dihydroethidine.Results:In porcine coronary artery rings, AEAL at 0.1–300 μg/mL induced endothelium-dependent relaxations, which were inhibited in the presence of inhibitors of nitric oxide (NO) and the endothelium-derived hyperpolarization pathways. Moreover, the AEAL-induced NO-mediated relaxations were significantly reduced by the inhibitors of Src and PI3-kinase as well as by the membrane-permeant ROS scavengers. In cultured porcine coronary artery endothelial cells, treatment with AEAL is associated with an intracellular generation of ROS. Moreover, the AEAL induced the phosphorylations of Akt (Ser473), eNOS (Ser1177) and a transient phosphorylation of Src (Ser17) in a time-dependent manner.Conclusions:These findings indicate that AEAL is a potent inducer of endothelium-dependent NO-mediated relaxations in porcine coronary arteries through the redox-sensitive Src/PI3-kinase/Akt pathway-dependent activation of eNOS.

Saba senegalensis (A. DC.) Pichon with synonymous Landolphia senegalensis (A. DC.) Kotschy & Peyr. (Apocynaceae) is a lianescente plant used in traditional medicine for the treatment of diseases with inflammatory components in Burkina Faso. The objective of this study was to test the pharmacological action of the aqueous extract of its leafy stems on swelling, pain and to assess its antioxidant properties. The aqueous extract reduced edema in the first hour, the third hour and five hours after the injection of carrageenin. Maximum inhibition was achieved at the fifth hour after the injection of the carrageenin. The analgesic effect of the aqueous extract of S. senegalensis at doses of 100, 200, 300 mg/kg was evaluated by the method of Koster after injection of acetic acid. The results showed that the aqueous extract reduced significantly (p

Waltheria indica is used in traditional pharmacopeia in Burkina Faso for the treatment of asthma and conditions of inflammation. To evaluate its pharmacological properties and isolate the active compounds, a study through a bioguided phytochemical approach was conducted. This search was guided by a two-level investigation. First, we evaluated the impact of various fractions on the activity of enzymes involved in smooth muscle contraction (PDE4A1α) and inflammatory processes (PLA2 , 5-LOX). Second, we investigated the inhibitory effect of fractions on isolated rat trachea. The initial hydroalcoholic extract from roots of W. indica (HA), n-hexane fraction (F1 ), dichloromethane fraction (F2 ), ethyl acetate fraction (F3 ), residuary fraction (F4 ) reduced enzyme activity of PDE4A1α (inhibition of 22-42% at 50 μg/mL), 5-LOX (60-80% at 10 μg/mL), and PLA2 (42-94% at 100 μg/mL). On isolated rat trachea, only HA, F3 , and fractions obtained from F3 by chromatography on silica gel column, using dichloromethane/methanol, dose dependently inhibited contraction induced by acetylcholine. IC50 was 1051 μg/mL for HA and comprised between 181 and 477 μg/mL for F3 and its fractions. The most active fractions were purified and led to the identification of (-)-epicatechin. (-)-epicatechin from W. indica dose dependently inhibited PLA2 (IC50 = 154.7 μm) and 5-LOX (IC50 = 15.8 μm). In conclusion, both inhibition of PDE4A1α, 5-LOX, and PLA2 activities and rat trachea relaxation by W. indica validate its use in traditional management of asthma and other conditions of inflammation. These effects should be, at least in part, attributed to the presence of (-)-epicatechin in roots of W. indica.

This study was aimed to assess the possible toxic effects of Entada africana, a widely used African medicinal plant. The acute toxicity of the methanolic stem bark and leaf extracts of Entada africana Guill. and Pen., (Mimosaceae) was assessed on mice. It revealed an average toxicity with a LD 50 of 146.7 and 249.9 mg kg' body weight for stem barks and leaves, respectively. The extracts showed no cytotoxicity against KB and Vero cells. Sub-chronic toxicity was assessed in rabbits, which received orally, daily for a month, a dose corresponding to 10% of the LD". Compared to the control group this dose caused no significant (p>0.05) modification of haematological and biochemical parameters, total cholesterol, urea, creatinine and aspartate amino-transferase (AST). The extracts lowered serum glucose significantly (p

Aqueous and ethanolic crude extracts and fractions of Khaya senegalensis stem barks were investigated for their antioxidant activities. Their ability to act as radical scavengers have not been previously reported and was investigated using 1,1 diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH), a stable free radical in comparison with Rutin and Quecetin as antioxidant standards. The study shows that all extracts and fractions are able to scavenge significantly free radicals of DPPH. The IC50 are, respectively 9.82 μg mL-1 for defatted extract; 7.42 μg mL-1 for Rutin (Standard); 7.33 μg mL-1 for lyophilised aqueous extract; 6.01 μg mL-1 for the fraction F1 of lyophilised aqueous extract; 4.70 μg mL-1 for ethanolic extract; 4.37 μg mL-1 for the fraction F2 from methanolic crude extract of stem barks and 2.58 μg mL-1 for Quercetin (Standard). Lyophilised aqueous extract activity is closely related to that of Rutin but less than Quercetin. Fractions can play a pivotal role in the antioxidant activity of crude lyophilised aqueous and alcoholic extract of stem barks of Khaya senegalensis. © 2007 Asian Network for Scientific Information.

A new in vitro assay for anthelmintic activity using Caenorhabditis elegans is based on the ability of 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein diacetate (CFDA) to indicate the worm's viability. It is shown for the first time that the treatment of a suspension of worms with a solution of 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein diacetate (4.2%) for 30min transiently induces fluorescence in dead worms only, allowing a fast and efficient determination of the proportion of dead worms by fluorescence microscopy. The proposed test has been validated using mixtures of populations of living and killed C. elegans and proved to be selective, linear in the range 0-100%, accurate and precise. The suitability of the assay to detect anthelmintic activity was then evaluated by studying the toxicity against C. elegans of a series of known anthelmintic compounds (mebendazole, levamisole, niclosamide, pyrantel, piperazine, and thiabendazole) with various modes of action. The worms were exposed to each drug at two concentrations, 50 and 100microg/ml for piperazine, niclosamide, pyrantel and 5 and 10microg/ml for the others. We observed that, in the tested range of doses, piperazine and niclosamide were only moderately toxic, yielding 13.1 and 17.5% of dead worms; due to their mode of action and/or specificity, the low toxicity of these compounds was as expected. The marked activities of all the other compound fully agree with those described in the literature and obtained by other more laborious techniques. These validation data indicate that the proposed in vitro anthelmintic assay using 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein diacetate allows for sensitive measurement of worm viability.

The leaves of Ficus sycomorus are used in Burkina Faso folk medicine for the treatment of sickle cell disease. The present comparative study of crude extracts of leaves (decoction, macerated extract and a 95% ethanol extract) was performed with the aim to assess the efficiency of this traditional use and to determine the most active of the three extracts. Antisickling activity was assessed by the Emmel's test. Vasorelaxant effect on rat aortic rings precontracted by phenylephrine with and without N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester chloride (L-NAME) was also evaluated. The 95% ethanol extract (20 mg mL(-1)) showed the most antisickling activity on sickle erythrocytes, by inhibiting completely sickling of double heterozygote SC cells in 60 min and that of homozygote SS cells in 90 min. On the aorta this extract exhibited a significant (p

The ethyl acetate and n-butanolic subfractions of Agelanthus dodoneifolius were investigated for their antioxidant and antimyeloperoxidase (MPO) activities. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was assessed by lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence (CL) and dichlorofluorescein- (DCF-) induced fluorescence techniques from phorbol myristate acetate- (PMA-) stimulated equine neutrophils and human myeloid cell line HL-60, respectively. In parallel, the effects of the tested subfractions were evaluated on the total MPO release by stimulated neutrophils and on the specific MPO activity by means of immunological assays. The results showed the potent activity of the butanolic subfraction, at least in respect of the chemiluminescence test (IC50 = 0.3 ± 0.1 μg/mL) and the ELISA and SIEFED assays (IC50 = 2.8 ± 1.2 μg/mL and 1.3 ± 1.0 μg/mL), respectively. However, the ethyl acetate subfraction was found to be the most potent in the DCF assay as at the highest concentration, DCF fluorescence intensity decreases of about 50%. Moreover, we demonstrated that the ethyl acetate subfraction was rich in catechin (16.51%) while it was not easy to identify the main compounds in the butanolic subfraction using the UPLC-MS/MS technique. Nevertheless, taken together, our results provide evidence that Agelanthus dodoneifolius subfractions may represent potential sources of natural antioxidants and of antimyeloperoxidase compounds., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Ethnopharmacological relevance Waltheria indica L. ( syn. Waltheria americana ) is commonly used in traditional medicine in Africa, South America and Hawaii, mainly against pain, inflammation, conditions of inflammation, diarrhea, dysentery, conjunctivitis, wounds, abscess, epilepsy, convulsions, anemia, erectile dysfunctions, bladder ailments and asthma. Aim of the review to provide an up-to-date overview of the botany, phytochemistry, traditional uses, pharmacological activities and toxicity data of Waltheria indica . Additionally, studies providing an evidence for local and traditional uses of Waltheria indica are discussed. Further phytochemical and pharmacological potential of this species are suggested for future investigations. Materials and methods The information was collected from scientific journals, books, theses and reports via academic libraries and electronic search. These sources include Pubmed, Web of Science, Portal de Portales-Latindex, Science Research.com and Google scholar. These studies about the medical botanical, traditional uses, chemical, pharmacological and toxicological data on Waltheria indica were published in English, Portuguese, Spanish, German and French. Results Crude extracts and isolated compounds from Waltheria indica were investigated and showed analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antimalarial, anti-anemic, anti-oxidant, sedative and anticonvulsant activities. The phytochemical investigations showed the presence of cyclopeptid alkaloids, flavonoids ( e.g. , (–)-epicatechin, quercetin, kaempferol, kaempferol-3- O -β- d -(6″- E - p -coumaryl)-glucopyranoside), tannins, sterols, terpenes, saponins, anthraquinones. Studies of acute toxicity in animal indicated that Waltheria indica can be toxic. Conclusion Waltheria indica possess therapeutic potential in the treatment of inflammation, malaria, infectious diseases ( e.g. , lungs infection due to Klebsiella pneumoniae , diarrhea due to Candida albicans or Escherichia coli ) and prevention of oxidative stress. Further studies are necessary to explore pure compounds responsible for the pharmacological effects and the mechanisms of action. Further investigations are also needed to provide an evidence base for traditional uses of this species against pain, anemia, convulsions and epilepsy. In addition, there is a pressing need to investigate the other traditional uses such as dysentery, syphilis, erectile dysfunctions and asthma.

Ficus sur and Ficus sycomorus , two medicinal species used in Burkinabe traditional medicine for the treatment of sickle cell disease were investigated. The determination of total phenolic and tannins contents, using the method of Folin-Ciocalteu (FCR), indicate values significantly (p

The antiproliferative activities of six medicinal plant extracts from Burkina Faso were evaluated in order to justify their traditional use for the treatment of cancer. The SOS chromotest method was used in vitro on Escherichia coli PQ37 to evaluate the mutagenic effect of the plant extracts. The DPPH method was used to evaluate the antioxidant activity of each plant. The antiproliferative activity was evaluated by MTS method on normal cells (Vero and MCR5) and cancer cells (KB) in contact with the extracts for 72 h. The results showed that the studied plants are not genotoxic. Lantana ukambensis and Acacia macrostachya induced a very significant antiproliferative effect against cancer cells with 94% and 95%, respectively. They also developed a strong antioxidant activity. The IC50 values were 5.96 ± 0.40 µg mL−1 for L. ukambensis and 4.30 ± 0.26 µg mL−1 for A. macrostachya. These two plants are therefore potential sources for isolating new antioxidant and anticancer molecules.

This study investigated the general acute, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic effects of methanol extract of Lepidagathis anobrya Nees (Acanthaceae). Carrageenan-induced rat paw edema and croton oil-induced ear edema in rats were used for the evaluation of general acute anti-inflammatory effects. Acetic acid-induced writhing response and yeast-induced hyperpyrexia in mice were used to evaluate the analgesic and antipyretic activities respectively. The extract at doses of 10, 25, 50 and 100 mgkg-1 for carrageenan test and doses of 0.5 mg/ear for croton oil test induced a significant reduction (p < 0.001) of paw and ear edemas in rats. In the analgesic and antipyretic tests, the extract has shown a significant inhibition of writhes and hyperpyrexia with all the doses used when compared to the untreated control group. These results clearly show the anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic effects of the methanol extract of Lepidagathis anobrya and give the scientific basis for its traditional use. Further studies are needed to clarify the mechanism of action and the components responsible for these pharmacological effects.

Agelanthus dodoneifolius DC Danser (Loranthaceae) is used for the treatment of various diseases including asthma. The aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts have been reported to have anti-inflammatory, spasmolytic and bronchorelaxant activities. The present study investigates the effects of the aqueous decoction and the diethyl ether, ethyl acetate and butanolic fractions of Agelanthus dodoneifolius DC Danser (Loranthaceae) on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and myeloperoxidase (MPO) release by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-stimulated equine neutrophils and on purified equine MPO activity. ROS production and MPO release by the PMA-stimulated neutrophils were measured by the lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence and ELISA assays, respectively. Specific immunological extraction followed by enzymatic detection (SIEFED) was used to specifically measure the equine MPO activity. Identification and quanti- fication of the individual and total phenolic and flavonoid compounds were performed using UPLC-MS/MS equipment and colorimetric methods involving Folin-Ciocalteu and AlCl3, respectively. All the tested extracts displayed dose-dependent inhibitory effects on the oxidant activities of neutrophils; a stronger effect was observed with the organic fractions than the aqueous decoction. These findings could be correlated with a high content of phenolic and flavonoid compounds. The results confirm the previously shown anti-inflammatory effect of Agelanthus dodoneifolius and its potential use for the treatment of neutrophil-dependent inflammatory diseases.

The leaves of Argemone mexicana L. (Papaveraceae) are used in traditional medicine in Burkina Faso to treat a variety of diseases. In the “Cascades” region, many people use the leaves of the plant for the treatment of liver ailment. An aqueous extract and a crude leaf powder suspension were tested for their antihepatotoxic action against CCl4-induced hepatitis in Wistar rats. The aqueous extract (250 mg/kg, p.o.) and the crude leaf powder suspension (250 mg/kg, p.o.), orally administered, significantly attenuated the elevation of serum enzymes (GOT, GPT, ALKP) and direct bilirubin (Dbil) induced by CCl4 intoxication in rats. These actions were comparable to that of silymarin used as reference substance. For the acute toxicity test any mortality was seen at doses up to 2500 mg/kg. KEYWORDS: Argemone mexicana , antihepatotoxic, hepatoprotective, aqueous extract.

Purpose: Drugs that are administered by parenteral route must be apyrogenic. The aim of this study was to develop an in vitro endotoxin test for liquid crystalline gels for use as implants, using a monoolein–water liquid crystalline gel as a model. Methods: The gel-clot technique was used. The gel was dissolved first in isopropyl myristate, and the endotoxins were extracted with water for bacterial endotoxin test. Tests for the labelled lysate sensitivity and interfering factors were performed to validate the developed method. The limit of detection of endotoxin in the gel was also determined. Results: The labelled lysate sensitivity was confirmed. It was not influenced by the presence of extracts from the gels. Endotoxins in the contaminated test gels were completely extracted. Endotoxin concentration in the tested gels was below the calculated threshold endotoxin level. Conclusion: A method to perform in vitro endotoxins test of liquid crystalline gels was successfully developed and validated. Application of the technique to gels currently being developed in our laboratories indicate that the gels were apyrogenic. Keywords: In vitro bacterial endotoxin test; liquid crystalline gels; test validation; monoolein–water.

The croton oil-induced mice ear oedema test was used to study the topical antiinflammatory effects of petroleum ether and chloroform extracts of Khaya senegalensis stem barks. It was found that these fractions exhibited dose-dependent inhibitory effects. The chloroform extract activity was closely related to that of indomethacin used as standard, was more active than the petroleum ether extract and played a pivotal role in the topical antiinflammatory effect of Khaya senegalensis stem barks.