Hyperuricemia and Associated Cardiometabolic Factors: A Cross-sectional Study on Taxi-motorbike Drivers Working in Cotonou, Benin

Background: An elevated level of uric acid (UA), also known as hyperuricemia (HUA), contributes to the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). However, epidemiolocal features of HUA in populations of Benin are rare. Objectives: We identified clinical and metabolic factors associated with HUA in taxi-motorbike drivers (TMDs) of Cotonou. Methods: A total of 134 participants with a mean age of 39.3 years were analyzed using a retrospective cross-sectional study design. Data from a self-administered questionnaire and biochemical markers including, plasma UA, glucose, insulin, creatinine, and lipids were obtained from each participant. HUA was defined as plasma UA greater than 416 μmol/L. Insulin resistance (IR) was determined using the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA). Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the association of various risk factors with HUA. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated for HUA. Results: The overall prevalence of HUA was 19.4% (95% CI: 12.7-26.1) in TMDs. Multivariable logistic regression showed that IR (OR = 3.60, 95% CI: 1.27-10.22, P = 0.02), hypertension (OR = 2.75, 95% CI: 1.00-7.54, P = 0.05), and triglycerides (TG; OR = 4.25, 95% CI: 1.39-12.98, P = 0.01) were risk factors for HUA. Furthermore, creatinine was inversely associated with HUA (OR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.41-0.94, P = 0.02). Conclusion: HUA was found in 19.4% of the patients. In addition, hypertension, IR, creatinine, and TG levels were independently associated with HUA in TMDs. Therefore, the monitoring of these markers may help prevent HUA

Chemical analysis, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of eight extracts from Schrankia leptocarpa L.

Schrankia leptocarpa DC. (Mimosaceae) is an African medicinal plant, traditionally used by plants practitioners in Benin to cure malaria, diarrhea and stomach ache. There is little ethnobotanical and almost no chemical information available for this species. Eight extracts from the entire plant of Schrankia leptocarpa were prepared using diethyl ether, acetone, cyclohexane, methylene chloride, ethyl acetate, methanol, butanol and ethanol/water (20:80). Phytochemical analysis were performed and antibacterial was evaluated against four reference bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, Enteroccocus feacalis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and four patient isolated bacteria using iodonitrotetrazolium microtest. The antioxidant properties were investigated using 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and superoxide anion radical scavenging activity. All extracts showed antimicrobial activity ranging from 0.078 to 5 mg/ml against one or more bacteria. The most potent extract was the diethyl ether extract with a minimum inhibitory concentration value of 75 μg/ml on E. faecalis. Phytochemical screening showed a wide variety of phytoconstituents such as steroids, terpenes, phenolic acid, flavonoids, tannins and alkaloids. The DPPH radical scavenging activity indicated that the radical scavenging activity ranged from 1.35 to 3.47 μg/ml. The superoxide anion radical scavenging showed inhibitory percentage ranging from 32.04 to 86%. Higher activity was observed with ethyl acetate extract. The results provide an evidence for the traditional use of S. leptocarpa for the treatment of infective diseases.Keywords: Schrankia leptocarpa, antibacterial, antioxidant, 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), superoxide anio

Cellular responses to Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein-1: use of relatively conserved synthetic peptide pools to determine CD4 T cell responses in malaria-exposed individuals in Benin, West Africa

BACKGROUND: Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein-1, a variant antigen of the malaria parasite, is potentially a target for the immune response. It would be important to determine whether there are CD4 T cells that recognise conserved regions. However, within the relatively conserved region, there is variation. It is not possible to test T cell responses from small field samples with all possible peptides. METHODS: We have aligned sequences that are relatively conserved between several PfEMP1 molecules, and chosen a representative sequence similar to most of the PfEMP1 variants. Using these peptides as pools representing CIDRα, CIDRβ and DBLβ-δ domains, DBLα domain, and EXON 2 domain of PfEMP1, we measured the CD4 T cell responses of malaria-exposed donors from Benin, West Africa by a FACS based assay. RESULTS: All the three peptide pools elicited a CD4 T cell response in a proportion of malaria-exposed and non-exposed donors. CD4 T cell proliferation occurs at a relatively higher magnitude to peptide pools from the DBLα and EXON 2 in the malaria-exposed donors living in Benin than in the UK malaria-unexposed donors. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that an immunological recall response to conserved peptides of a variant antigen can be measured. Further testing of individual peptides in a positive pool will allow us to determine those conserved sequences recognised by many individuals. These types of assays may provide information on conserved peptides of PfEMP1 which could be useful for stimulating T cells to provide help to P. falciparum specific B cells

Toxicité Pour L’abeille Apis Mellifera Adansonii De Trois Herbicides Utilisés En Agriculture Au Bénin

Obtaining high outputs in agriculture requires the use of pesticides to control pests. However, protection of pollinators, precisely bees is very important. The objective of this study was to study the impact on the bee Apis mellifera adansonii of three herbicides usually used in the crop protection in Benin. Ten doses of each herbicide were used and varied from 0.0036.103 (10 ppm) to 1.8.103 nanogram (ng) per bee (5000 ppm) for Roundup, 0.0041.103 (10 ppm) to 2.05.103 nanogram (ng) per bee (5000 ppm) for Glycel and from 0.004.103 (10 ppm) to 2.103 nanogram (ng) per bee (5000 ppm) for Alligator. Each treatment included three replications consisting of 25 bees. Before the treatment, bees were anaesthetized with ether. Observations were made at 2 h, 10 h, 18h, 24h, 36 h and 48 h after the test. Results have shown that 48 hours after, the doses higher or equal to 0.36.103 ng/ab (1000 ppm) of Roundup induced mortality rate higher than 85 %. After 24 hours, the highest mortality rate of Glycel (45.2 ± 1.6 %) was induced by the dose of 1.23.103 ng/ab (3000 ppm). The dose of Alligator of 2.103 ng/ab (5000 ppm) caused the rates respective of mortality of 65.5 ± 2.4 % and 85 % at 24 h and 48 hours after the test. It is necessary to promote sustainable plant protection practices in relation with the use of herbicides to avoid negative impact on bees’ population

Ethnobotanical survey on antihypertensive medicinal plants in municipality of Ouémé, Southern Benin

Background and aims: Hypertension is one of the most common causes of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications in human which take care requires permanent monitoring and lifelong treatment. Therefore, patients use herbal medicine to manage their disease. This study was conducted to list the medicinal plants used to manage hypertension in municipality of Ouémé, Southern Bénin. Methods:The survey was conducted by oral interviews using a structure questionnaire. These questionnaires were administered to randomly selected vendors, traditional medicine practitioners and person resource. The specimen of each species was deposited at the National Herbarium of the University of Abomey-Calavi and the Relative Frequency Citation was calculated. Results: 77 plants belonging to 46 families were recorded for the treatment of hypertension in department of Ouémé. 37 antihypertensive recipes were identified. Caesalpiniaceae, Annonnaceae, and Rubiaceae were the most represented. Allium Sativum was the most used species against hypertension with relative frequency of citation of 0.155 following by Persea americana (RFC= 0.134). The most parts used was aerial part (23.08) followed by the leaves (21.98). The principal mode of used is decoction (72.35) and the main mode of administration was the oral route. Conclusion: The survey enables to indicate plants species used to manage hypertension in department of Ouémé. The document resulting from this study is an effective way to preserve knowledge in traditional medicine. However, pharmacological screening of these plant species is very important to check their effectiveness

High Prevalence Of Antibody Response Against Plasmodium Falciparum (Pf) Antigens In A Holoendemic Area Of Benin (1994-1995)

The present study aimed at measuring the capacity of naturally occurring antibodies to bind Pf83/AMA-1 and MSP-1/19 antigens, two malaria vaccine candidates, in an immunoassay. According to the fact that antibody prevalence reflects endemicity of malaria, we further aimed at using the results obtained here as baseline data set to follow up and evaluate the expected decline in endemicity in 2016, 8 years after the change in drug policy in Benin. Therefore, individuals, 2 – 19 and above 20 years old, living in Awansori, a malaria holoendemic area in the suburb of Cotonou, Benin were bled during the dry and raining seasons of the years 1994/1995. Antibody responses were measured using direct, indirect and competition ELISA. We found a very high prevalence of antibody responses (89 to 96%) in the studied population. The results indicate for Pf83/AMA-1, that naturally occurring antibodies bind to protective epitopes in a competition ELISA with a parasite inhibiting monoclonal antibody. The data and samples analysed here were collected during the rainy season 1994 and the following dry season 1994/1995