Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants Used Against Fungal Infections in Prefecture of Sotouboua Central Region, Togo

Plants are a major source of active ingredients and are for that fact used to treat many diseases such as fungal infections. The objective of this study was to identify the plants used in traditional medicine to treat fungal diseases in the prefecture of Sotouboua. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted among healers, elderly and knowledgeable villagers. A semi structured questionnaire and pictures showing common and easily recognizable fungal infection symptoms were used to support a live interview. During this study, 37 plant species belonging to 20 families have been identified. Fabaceae were the most represented family (7 species). The most used parts were leaves (43, 24%) followed by the roots (18, 91%). The decoction is the preferred method of preparation while the oral route is the main route of administration. Sotouboua prefecture in Togo has significant plant biodiversity that is used by dwellers in the management of fungal diseases

Evaluation de la Vulnérabilité des Nappes Phréatiques à la Pollution engendrée par la Mauvaise Gestion des boues de Vidange dans la Ville d’Aného au Togo

L’étude menée présente l’état actuel de la vulnérabilité des nappes libres (la nappe du sable du cordon littoral et la nappe du continental terminal) de la ville d’Aného au Togo. Elle s’est basée sur la méthode dite « DRASTIC ». Les résultats ont permis de distinguer deux classes de vulnérabilité pour l’aquifère du continental terminal et de deux classes pour celui du sable du cordon littoral. Les degrés de vulnérabilité obtenue vont de « moyen » à « très élevés » et de « élevés » à « très élevés » pour l’aquifère du continental terminal d’après les classifications d’ALLER et de ENGEL. Ces degrés vont de « élevés » à « très élevés » pour l’aquifère du sable du cordon littoral d’après les classifications d’ALLER et de ENGEL. Afin de confronter les résultats d’évaluation de vulnérabilité, plusieurs sondages et mesures de terrains ont été réalisés. Ainsi, il apparait que les cartes de vulnérabilité obtenues sont valides dans la mesure où, sur le terrain, il existe des facteurs anthropiques qui rendent d’avantage les aquifères plus vulnérables. L’observation de l’environnement immédiat des puits a permis de constater que les puits présents à Aného sont traditionnels, non protégés et vétustes pour la plupart. Les ouvrages d’assainissement (fosses septiques, toilettes à chasse manuelles et puisards à fond perdu) sont à proximité des puits ce qui augmente le risque de pollution. L’eau des nappes et celle de la lagune ont été analysées et les germes indicateurs de contaminations fécales et les principaux polluants physico-chimiques ont été déterminés. Du point de vue bactériologique, les résultats ont montré que tous les échantillons ne sont pas satisfaisants par rapport aux germes recherchés. Un indice de contamination fécale a été calculé, il a permis de constater que les eaux étudiées son fortement polluées. Les résultats d’analyse physico-chimiques ont indiqué une pollution en nitrates, sulfates et en chlorures dans les eaux. This paper focuses on the current status of the vulnerability of the unconfined aquifers (the coastal sand aquifer and the terminal continental aquifer) of the city of Aného in Togo. It was carried out based on the "drastic" method. The results helped to distinguish between the two classes of vulnerability for the terminal continental aquifer and the two classes for the coastal sand aquifer. The degrees of vulnerability obtained range from "medium" to "very high" and from "high" to "very high" for the terminal continental aquifer according to the classification of Aller and Engel. These degrees also ranged from "high" to "very high" for the barrier sand aquifer according to the Aller and Engel classifications. In order to compare the results of the vulnerability assessment, several boreholes and field measurements were carried out. Thus, it appears that the vulnerability maps obtained are valid insofar as, in the field, there are anthropic factors that make the aquifers more vulnerable. Observation of the immediate environment of the wells revealed that the wells in Aného are traditional, unprotected, and mostly obsolete. Sanitation facilities (septic tanks, manual flush toilets and cesspools) are located near the wells, which increases the risk of pollution. Groundwater and lagoon water were analyzed and the indicator germs of fecal contamination and the main physico-chemical pollutants were determined. From a bacteriological point of view, the results show that all the samples were not satisfactory with respect to the germs sought. An index of fecal contamination was calculated, indicating that the studied waters are strongly polluted. The results of physico-chemical analysis also show pollution in nitrate, sulphates, and chloride in the waters

Socio-sanitary Aspects and Microbiological Quality of Drinking Water in the Prefecture of Golfe (Togo)

Water is essential for life, but its quality is confronted with several problems, including insufficient hygiene and sanitation, which necessitate a contribution to improving the hygienic quality of drinking water. Adescriptive study of 129 randomly selected households was carried out in order to get an idea of the health risks associated with drinking water. Water samples (75) were analyzed using the standardized routine methods described by the European Union. These analyzes related to the following germs: total aerobic flora, total coliforms, thermo tolerant coliforms, Escherichia coli, anaerobic sulfite-reducing bacteria and fecal streptococci. The results showed that 43.41% of households surveyed do not have a source of water at home. Water sources include wells, boreholes, and rainwater. Drinking water storage containers are not covered in 38.89% of the cases. Of the 60 households that have a water source and a latrine at the same time, 27 households or 45% have latrines within 15 meters of the water source. The microbiological analyzes showed that the drinking water samples analyzed are contaminated to varying degrees by the germs retained by the European Union criteria. Total germs and coliforms resulted in high levels of non-compliance. The waters of the storage containers were the most contaminated. Appropriate measures shall be taken for the monitoring and disinfection of these waters before their use

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in the management of hypertension in the Maritime region of Togo

Background: Hypertension is one of the most common chronic diseases in modern societies and there is evidence that its incidence and severity are increasing. This survey was conducted to investigate the plants used by the Togolese traditional healers to treat the disease.Method: From January to June 2016, an ethnobotanical survey was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire with traditional healers (TH) in the southern region of Togo. The importance of the plants was assessed by the calculation of the use value (UV).Results: In Total, 128 TH male and female were interviewed and 116 plants species belonging to 46 families were identified as treating hypertension. The most represented families were: Fabaceae with 16 species followed by Euphorbiaceae and Rutaceae contributing with 8 and 6 species respectively. Based on the calculated use values the most important species were Byrsocarpus coccineus Schum. Et thonn. (UV = 0.47); Crateva religiosae G.Forst. (UV = 0.47), Boerhavia diffusa Engelm. &A.Gray L. (UV = 0.47), Xylopia athiopica A. Rich. (UV = 0.42), Mangnifera indica L. (UV = 0.38). The leaves and the roots were the parts of plant predominantly used to prepare the recipes, mainly decoctions administrated by oral route. Clinical manifestations such as dizzy spells, swarming, loss of consciousness, severe headache, severe anxiety and shortness of breath, nosebleed, and fear of heights were used by TH to diagnose the disease.Conclusion: This study showed initial evidence of the use of plant materials by Togolese TH to treat hypertension. These results constitute a database for pharmacological screenings with the aim of developing new therapies.Key words: Hypertension, traditional medicine, ethnobotanical survey, medicinal plants, Togo

Damage mechanisms of pathogenic bacteria in drinking water during chlorine and solar disinfection

This study aimed at elucidating the inactivation mechanisms of pathogenic bacteria in drinking water during chlorine and solar disinfection using a simple plating method. The well-known bacterial model Escherichia coli was used as pathogenic bacteria for the experiments. The damage mechanisms of E. coli were evaluated by simple plating method on selective, less selective and non-selective media. Results showed that, injured E. coli were detected at different levels during chlorine and solar disinfection. The use of selective media during water quality control showed effectively the destruction of E. coli during solar disinfection while the removal of E. coli during chlorine disinfection was not ensured. The damage of cell components and/or metabolic functions showed that there is a primary and mainly damage of E. coli during chorine and solar disinfection. Chlorination firstly and mainly damaged membrane cell followed by that of enzymatic functions and nucleic acid; while solar disinfection damaged mainly nucleic acid. The use of simple plating method in water quality control is limited by the choice of plating media depending on the disinfectant used. The understanding of the damage mechanisms of pathogenic bacteria cells during disinfection helps improve drinking water quality control and develops more effective disinfection strategies.© 2016 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved.Keywords: Drinking water, pathogenic bacteria, E. coli, damage mechanisms, chlorine disinfection, solar disinfectio

Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities of crude extracts of three Togolese medicinal plants against ESBL Klebsiella pneumoniae strains

Background: Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth., Securidaca longepedunculata Fresn and Cryptolepis sanguinolenta (Lindl.) Schlt are three plants widely used in the Togolese traditional medicine to treat microbial infections. Some studies reported their antibacterial activity alone but until know there no data concerning their possible interaction with conventional antibiotics. The main objective of this study was to investigate the antibacterial activity of the association of the crude extracts of the three plants with some conventional antibiotics. We further evaluate the antioxidant and the anti-inflammatory activities of the extracts on rat’s model.Materials and methods:The antimicrobial activity was evaluated by the broth microdilution assay and the Fractional inhibitory concentrations (FIC) determined by the checkerboard method. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using the Carrageenan- induced rat paw edema model. The antioxidant activities and the phenol contents were determined by spectrophotometry.Results: The MICs of hydroethanolic extract of plants ranged from 3.125 to 100 mg/mL on Klebsiella pneumoniae strains. Synergistic action was observed only with the combination of Imipenem/P. dulce, imipenem/C. sanguinolenta, amikacin/P. dulce and amikacin/C. sanguinolenta against the ESBL negative Klebsiella pneumoniae strain. Of the 21 associations, 15 were antagonistic on the ESBL-producing strains. The indifference effect was observed with the combination of the extract of Securidaca longepedunculata and the following antibiotics imipenem, amikacin, tetracyclin, ciprofloxacin, Cefotaxim; and Sulfametoxazol+Trimethoprim. The in vitro anti-inflammatory with Lipoxygenase inhibition activity was best with C. sanguinolenta extract while the in vivo paw edema model revealed that S. longepedunculata was the highest reducer of paw edema. In addition white blood cells count and biochemical parameters such as total proteins and immunoglobulins were significantly affected by the administration of plant extracts.Conclusion: This study revealed that the three plants although they may inhibit the bacterial growth by themselves, but there is also a possible synergistic action with the commercial antibiotics. Further investigations are needed to identify the active compounds and their mechanism of action.Keywords: antibiotics, extended-spectrum beta lactamase, plant extract, bacteria, Tog

ETHNOBOTANICAL SURVEY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS USED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HYPERTENSION IN THE MARITIME REGION OF TOGO

Background: Hypertension is one of the most common chronic diseases in modern societies and there is evidence that its incidence and severity are increasing. This survey was conducted to investigate the plants used by the Togolese traditional healers to treat the disease. Method: From January to June 2016, an ethnobotanical survey was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire with traditional healers (TH) in the southern region of Togo. The importance of the plants was assessed by the calculation of the use value (UV). Results: In Total, 128 TH male and female were interviewed and 116 plants species belonging to 46 families were identified as treating hypertension. The most represented families were: Fabaceae with 16 species followed by Euphorbiaceae and Rutaceae contributing with 8 and 6 species respectively. Based on the calculated use values the most important species were Byrsocarpus coccineus Schum. Et thonn. (UV = 0.47); Crateva religiosa G.Forst. (UV = 0.47), Boerhavia diffusa Engelm. &A.Gray L. (UV = 0.47), Xylopia aethiopica A. Rich. (UV = 0.42), Mangnifera indica L. (UV = 0.38). The leaves and the roots were the parts of plant predominantly used to prepare the recipes, mainly decoctions administrated by oral route. Clinical manifestations such as dizzy spells, swarming, loss of consciousness, severe headache, severe anxiety and shortness of breath, nosebleed, and fear of heights were used by TH to diagnose the disease. Conclusion: This study showed initial evidence of the use of plant materials by Togolese TH to treat hypertension. These results constitute a database for pharmacological screenings with the aim of developing new therapies

Assessment of Knowledge and Consumption Patterns of Soybean, Moringa Oleifera, Aloe Vera and Other Agro-Resources: The Case of the Elderly and Pregnant/Nursing Women in Lome, Togo

Purpose: To assess how soybean products and other agro-resources are known and consumed by some vulnerable populations in Lome (Togo). Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted from March to April 2015 among people aged 50 years and over attending two Pension Fund departments and pregnant and nursing women attending Bè Hospital in Lome. Data were collected using a pre-tested face-to-face questionnaire. Participants were surveyed about their knowledge and consumption habits of soybean, Moringa oleifera, Aloe vera products and other agro-resources. Results: A total of 847 respondents were included in the study with 426 pregnant/nursing women and 421 people aged 50 years and over. The majority of respondents were married (39.5%) and 45.3% of the elderly people were widowed. At least nine over ten respondents (96%) knew soybean products and 76.8% of them reported a lifetime consumption of soybean products. The available and most consumed agro-resources included tofu (82.7%), moringa leaves (87.2%) and soy flour (29.7%). The least consumed products were soymilk, soy yogurt and moringa juice. Respondents also reported using moringa tea and soap, as well as Aloe vera juice and toothpaste. Conclusion: Soybean products and other agricultural resources are well known and consumed by people living in Lome. Data on actual food intake is useful to public health professionals and food safety risk assessors. It is important to inform the public at large of the recognized benefits of some foods that will provide solutions to their health problems

Revue sur l’Ail et ses Composés Bioactifs

Introduction: Dans les pays en voie de développement, les problèmes du médicament se posent en termes d'insuffisance quantitative, qualitative et d'inaccessibilité économique. Pour pallier à ce problème, près de 80% de la population ont recours à la médecine traditionnelle. Cependant, la question n'est plus de démontrer l'efficacité de la médecine traditionnelle mais de s'en convaincre et convaincre les acteurs de la santé publique et des groupes de promotion de la santé. D’où notre objectif de vulgariser l’utilisation de l’ail par la population en montrant les composés bioactifs et les differentes formes d’ail et leur usage thérapeutique. Méthodologie: la recherche Littérature a été effectuée dans les bases de donnée de Medline, Google scholar, Research Gate, HINARI, Cochrane et livres en utilisant des mots clés tels que : Problématique des médicaments en Afrique, l’étude ethnobotanique, ethnomédecine, ethnopharmacologie, les composés bioactifs de l’ail. Cette recherche documentaire s’est faite sur la période du 08 juin 2018 au 23 Novembre 2018. La recherche a été étendue sur les formes d’ail, les données cliniques de l’utilisation de l’ail. Synthèse: L’ail est utilisé depuis des millénaires tant pour ses talents culinaires que ses propriétés thérapeutiques. Les principaux composés responsables des vertus thérapeutiques sont les composés organosulfureux dont leur présence et concentration dépend de la forme d’ail utilisé. Conclusion: L’ail, permet de lutter contre certains germes infectieux de la peau et contre les parasites. Il est aussi utilisé dans le traitement de l’hypertension artérielle, de la coagulation du sang et l’hypercholestérolémie. Ainsi, il est recommandé de consommer des préparations conditionnées et standardisées de l’ail pour bénéficier de ses vertus.Introduction: The availability and accessibility of medicines remains a real concern in developing countries. In the context of low economic income, most of the population (80%) uses traditional medicine. The effectiveness of traditional medicine has been well established. This study suggests that public health actors and health promotion groups in developing countries use herbal medicine as an alternative to the problem of the effectiveness of chemical synthesis drugs. This paper focuses on evaluating the use of different forms of garlic by the population and the bioactive compounds of this plant. Methodology: A literature review was conducted in the Medline, Google Scholar, Research Gate, HINARI, and Cochrane databases using keywords such as Drugs in Africa, Ethnobotany, Ethnomedicine, Ethnopharmacology, Garlic Forms, and Compounds bioactives of garlic. Results: The use of garlic is as old as humanity especially in cooking and disease therapy. The main compounds responsible for the therapeutic virtues are the organosulfur compounds, and its concentration of which depends on the shape of the garlic. Conclusion: Garlic can fight against skin infections, blood pressure drop, prevent blood clotting and hypercholesterolemia. Based on this study, it is recommended to consume conditioned and standardized garlic preparations in order to benefit from its virtues

ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITIES OF CRUDE EXTRACTS OF THREE TOGOLESE MEDICINAL PLANTS AGAINST ESBL KLEBSIELLA PNEUMONIAE STRAINS

Background: Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth., Securidaca longepedunculata Fresn and Cryptolepis sanguinolenta (Lindl.) Schlt are three plants widely used in the Togolese traditional medicine to treat microbial infections. Some studies reported their antibacterial activity alone but until know there no data concerning their possible interaction with conventional antibiotics. The main objective of this study was to investigate the antibacterial activity of the association of the crude extracts of the three plants with some conventional antibiotics. We further evaluate the antioxidant and the anti-inflammatory activities of the extracts on rat’s model. Materials and methods:The antimicrobial activity was evaluated by the broth microdilution assay and the Fractional inhibitory concentrations (FIC) determined by the checkerboard method. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using the Carrageenan- induced rat paw edema model. The antioxidant activities and the phenol contents were determined by spectrophotometry. Results: The MICs of hydroethanolic extract of plants ranged from 3.125 to 100 mg/mL on Klebsiella pneumoniae strains. Synergistic action was observed only with the combination of Imipenem/P. dulce, imipenem/C. sanguinolenta, amikacin/P. dulce and amikacin/C. sanguinolenta against the ESBL negative Klebsiella pneumoniae strain. Of the 21 associations, 15 were antagonistic on the ESBL-producing strains. The indifference effect was observed with the combination of the extract of Securidaca longepedunculata and the following antibiotics imipenem, amikacin, tetracyclin, ciprofloxacin, Cefotaxim; and Sulfametoxazol+Trimethoprim. The in vitro anti-inflammatory with Lipoxygenase inhibition activity was best with C. sanguinolenta extract while the in vivo paw edema model revealed that S. longepedunculata was the highest reducer of paw edema. In addition white blood cells count and biochemical parameters such as total proteins and immunoglobulins were significantly affected by the administration of plant extracts. Conclusion: This study revealed that the three plants although they may inhibit the bacterial growth by themselves, but there is also a possible synergistic action with the commercial antibiotics. Further investigations are needed to identify the active compounds and their mechanism of action