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Drypetes gossweilleri S. Moore is a plant used in traditional medicine in Cameroon. The antifungal properties of its stem-bark crude extract and fractions DG1, DG2, DG3, DG4, DG5, DG6, DG7, DG8 and DG9 were assayed by agar and broth dilution methods on solid and liquid media against C. Krusei, C. albicans, C. glabrata, T. mentagerophytes, M. langeroinii, M. gypeum, M. audouini, T. rubrum, T. soudanense, T. terrestre, A. flavus and A. niger. The results revealed a substantial antifungal effect with minimal inhibitory concentrations ranging respectively from 24.11μg/ml to 1562μg/ml for yeasts and from 3125μg/ml to 12500μg/ml for filamentous fungi. Among the fractions, fraction DG4 exerted the highest antifungal activity. Moreover, no toxic effect was noticed in male and female albinos Wistar rats treated per os with the crude stem bark’s extract of Drypetes gossweileri at a dose up to 12g/kg of body weight. The phytochemical screening of the crude extract and fractions showed the presence of alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, saponins, anthocyanines, anthraquinones, sterols, lipids and essential oils. Therefore, Drypetes gossweileri may be safe as phytomedecine for the treatment of fungal infections.Key words: Antifungal activity, Drypetes gossweileri, acute toxicity.

Malnutrition and micronutrients deficiencies are serious public health problems in Cameroon as in other developing countries. Proteins, lipids, crude fibres and carbohydrates content of 15 recipes selected after a survey of 500 families were determined. Total contents ranged between 9.25 ± 0.53 and 16.86 ± 8.85 g/100 g DW for proteins, 10.64 ± 0.9 to 35.72 ± 8.56 g/100 g DW for lipids, 5.57 ± 2.14 to 38.8 ± 1.82 g/100 g for crude fibres and 24.11 ± 9.21 to 62.05 ± 3.02 g/100 g DW for carbohydrates. Glutamate contents of seven flavour enhancers ranged from 2.83% in Honig poulet to 13.87 % (W/W) in Maggi cube. More than 74% of the surveyed subjects regularly used cube-type savory condiments and 26% of the subjects used monosodium L-glutamate (MSG). MSG use was widespread in spite of a national ban on MSG use and importation, indicating high amounts of illegally imported MSG.

Ce travail a pour but de déterminer le profil des hormones thyroïdiennes chez des femmes enceintes en milieu Camerounais. De Janvier 2005 à Janvier 2006, cent vingt cinq femmes ont été prospectivement incluses dans l\'étude à l\'Hôpital Général de Yaoundé. Pour chaque patiente, selon un protocole préétabli, on recueillait les données cliniques et Gynéco-Obstétrique avec l\'âge de la grossesse, et on faisait un prélèvement sanguin en vu du dosage des hormones thyroïdiennes (thyroïde T4 et triiodothyronine T3) et de la thyréostimuline hypophysaire (TSH). La lecture des résultats des taux hormonaux a été effectuée à l\'aide d\'un compteur Gamma 12 puis d\' «Oakfield Health Care Product» muni de Logiciel RIASTAT d\' «Oakfield Instrument Ltd» London. Les 125 femmes de l\'étude ont été reparties en quatre groupes composés respectivement de 32 femmes non gravides (groupe I, témoins), 33 femmes enceintes au premier trimestre (groupe II), 30 femmes au deuxième trimestre (groupe III), et 30 femmes enceintes à la grossesse du troisième trimestre (groupe IV). Le taux moyen de la T4 comme de la T3 sanguin est plus élevé chez les femmes enceintes que chez les témoins quelque soit l\'âge de la grossesse. L\'évolution des taux montre une élévation au premier trimestre de la grossesse avec une baisse au deuxième trimestre et au troisième. Le taux de la TSH hypophysaire a une cinétique contraire avec un effondrement au premier trimestre et une remontée au deuxième et troisième trimestre. En conclusion, ce travail montre qu\'il y a une variation du taux sanguin des hormones thyroïdiennes et de la TSH chez la femme enceinte et que ce taux varie avec l\'âge de la grossesse.This study was aimed at determining the evolution and the kinetics of thyroid hormones in a sub-population of pregnant women in Cameroon. We carried out a prospective study (from January 2005 to January 2006) on 125 consenting pregnant women at the Yaounde General Hospital. Clinical and gynaeco-obstetric data with the gestational age were noted on a pre-designed questionnaire. Blood samples were drawn for serum assay of thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH). The results were read with the «Oakfield Health Care» Gamma – 12 counter using the RIASTAT software. The patients were sub divided into 4 groups: 32 non pregnant women in the control group, 33 pregnant women in the first trimester, 30 pregnant women in the second trimester, and 30 pregnant women in the third trimester. The mean serum levels of T3 and T4 were relatively high in all the pregnant women (irrespective of the gestational age) than in the control group. Serum levels of T3 and T4 were raised the first trimester and progressively reduced in second and third. On the other hand, TSH levels progressively increased from the second trimester and attained a maximum in the third trimester. We can therefore conclude that blood levels of thyroid hormone as well as TSH vary during pregnancy and differ in titres with respect to the gestational age. Keywords: Thyroid hormones - TSH - Pregnancy - Radio immunoassay.Clinics in Mother and Child Health Vol. 5 (2) 2008: pp. 917-920

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ACARICIDE EFFECT OF THE ESSENTIAL OILS OF LEAVES OF CHENOPODIUM AMBROSIOIDES AND EUCALYPTUS SALIGNA ON TICKS (RHIPICEPHALUS LUNULATUS) OF WEST AFRICAN DWARF GOAT IN WEST CAMEROON Summary The chemical composition and the acaricide effect of the essential oils from leaves of Chenopodium ambrosioides and Eucalyptus saligna was evaluated on Rhipicephalus lunulatus in the Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Chemistry of University of Dschang in west Cameroon. Five doses of each essential oil (0.000; 0.157; 0.314 and 0.629 µl/cm2) in four replications were used. Each replication was made up of ten ticks in Petri dish with filter paper on the bottom and uniformly impregnated with the product. The results of this study indicate that essential oils studied are toxic to Rhipicephalus lunulatus ticks. Significant (p