Ethnopharmacological uses of Erythrina senegalensis: a comparison of three areas in Mali, and a link between traditional knowledge and modern biological science

This paper describes ethnopharmacological knowledge on the uses of Erythrina senegalensis DC (Fabaceae) in traditional medicine in three different areas (Dioila, Kolokani and Koutiala) in Mali. Data were collected using interviews of traditional healers selected randomly. The main reported diseases for which E. senegalensis was used by the traditional healers were amenorrhea, malaria, jaundice, infections, abortion, wound, and body pain (chest pain, back pain, abdominal pain etc). The fidelity level (which estimates the agreement of traditional healers on the same area about a reported use of the plant) was calculated to compare the results from the three areas. Certain differences were noticed, the most striking was the fact that amenorrhea was the most reported disease in Dioila and Kolokani with 21% of agreement for both areas, while this use was not reported in Koutiala at all. Similarities existed between the three areas on the use of the plant against malaria and infections, although with different degree of agreement among the healers. We also report the results of a literature survey on compounds isolated from the plant and their biological activities. A comparison of these results with the ethnopharmacological information from Mali and other countries showed that some of the traditional indications in Mali are scientifically supported by the literature. For instance, the use of E. senegalensis against infectious diseases (bilharzias, schistosomiasis, pneumonia etc.) is sustained by several antibacterial and antifungal compounds isolated from different parts of the plant. The comparison also showed that pharmacologists have not fully investigated all the possible bioactivities that healers ascribe to this plant

Chromatographic immunoassays for Helicobacter pylori detection – are they reliable in Mali, West Africa?

Introduction: Gastrointestinal diseases are major reasons for morbidity in Mali. As Helicobacter pylori is known to play a major role in gastritis and gastric ulcer we wanted to find a simple method for detection. Methods: Twenty-nine volunteers with confirmed gastric ulcer by gastroscopy and 59 randomly selected volunteers were diagnosed by using the rapid serological test Clearview®H. Pylori . The ImmunoCard STAT!® HpSA®test was applied on stool from 65 volunteers seeking help for gastrointestinal related ailments. Results: A Helicobacter pylori prevalence of 21% was found among the individuals with confirmed gastric ulcer, 44% among the randomly selected volunteers and 14% in individuals with gastrointestinal related ailments. Conclusion: According to what is already known about the aetiology of gastric ailments and the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in neighboring countries, the infection rates in our study appear strikingly low. This might indicate that Clearview® H. Pylori and ImmunoCard STAT!® HpSA® have low sensitivities in the populations studied. Strain variability of H. Pylori may be an explanation. The tests need to be properly evaluated in Mali before they can be relied upon as diagnostic tools.Pan African Medical Journal 2013; 14: 7

Structures, and immunomodulating and anti-ulcer activities of polysaccharides from Malian medicinal plants

The main purpose of this thesis was to evaluate the potential of pectins from the Malian medicinal tree Cola cordifolia used in the treatment of gastric ulcer and wounds. This thesis is a small contribution to the ultimate goal of providing efficient none-toxic and inexpensive medicines for the Malian population. The Department of Traditional Medicine, our collaborating partner in Bamako, wants to promote the use of renewable plant parts to guarantee a sustainable supply of medicinal plants. The structures and biological activities of the bark and leaf pectins were therefore compared in order to make recommendation on plant part substitution as debarking can damage or even kill the tree. We found that the pectins from the bark and leaves are structurally related. However, the leaf pectins are more polydisperse and heterogeneous compared to the pectins found in bark. Pectins from the bark were generally more active in the complement fixation test and the macrophage assay. Comparing the 50°C water extracts from bark and leaf in an experimental anti-ulcer model showed comparable and dose dependent inhibition of ulcer formation. However, a clinical trial is needed to evaluate the efficacy of the plant parts. Powdered roots of Vernonia kotschyana are highly valued as the improved traditional medicine “Gastrosedal”. The anti-ulcer activity of the medicine has previously been attributed to the presence of saponins. In this thesis, the anti-ulcer potential of 50°C and 100°C water extracts depleted of saponins, but high in inulin, 98% and 83% respectively, were evaluated in an experimental mouse model. The tested dose corresponded to the recommended daily intake of “Gastrosedal” and this dose showed a good inhibition of ulcer formation. We therefore concluded that inulin can also be responsible important for the anti-ulcer activity of “Gastrosedal”. In Mali, gastric ailments are rather common and contribute highly to morbidity in the country. In a previous study, Helicobacter pylori was found to be present in 95% of Malian patients with gastric ulcer. For future investigations and clinical trials, it was of interest to find a reliable and simple method for H. pylori detection. One stool and one serological based immunochromatographic method were tested, and the results showed that the sensitivity of these tests is too low in the Malian population. The low sensitivity was probably due to strain variability, in addition to high use of anti-malaria drugs, which might eradicate or lower the bio-burden of H. pylori

Biologisk aktive polysakkarider fra Glinus oppositifulius (L.) Aug. DC : ethnopharmacological survey in Mali

Første del i denne oppgaven tar for seg struktur- og aktivitetsstudier av polysakkarider fra Glinus oppositifolius, hvor arbeidet er blitt utført på en slik måte at det er enkelt å sammenligne resultatene med tidligere utført arbeid på samme plante av Inngjerdingen (2007), hvor pektinfraksjonene GOA1 og GOA2 ble isolert. Andre del tar for seg en etnofarmakologisk studie utført i områdene rundt Dioila og Koutiala i Mali i mars/april 2007. Utgangspunktet for analyser av polysakkarider fra G. oppositifolius var et vann-ekstrakt isolert av Inngjerdingen. Dette materialet ble videre applisert på en ionebytterkolonne type DEAE Sepharose fast flow. Det var ikke mulig å dele pektinmaterialet i flere fraksjoner, derfor fulgte videre separering på en gelfiltreringskolonne type Sephacryl S-200. Dette resulterte i to sure fraksjoner, GA1 og GA2. Ettersom det kun ble detektert en topp etter ionebytter, hvor det i tidligere studier har blitt oppdaget to, gav dette en teori om fytokjemiske ulikheter i de forskjellige batchene av plantemateriale. Hovedfraksjonen GA1 ble så degradertmed endo-1,4alfa-D-polygalakturonase (pektinase). Etter degradering og separasjon på gelfiltreringskolonne type Bio–Gel P30 ble det isolert fire fraksjoner, GA1Fr1–4. Det ble tilsatt for lite enzym ved førstegangstilsetting av pektinase. GA1Fr1 og GA1Fr2 ble derfor degradert en gang til med samme enzym. I tillegg ble GA1Fr1 og GA1Fr2 ble degradert med alfa-arabinofuranosidase i kombinasjon med pektinase. Det ble utført strukturoppklaring ved hjelp av metanolyse og GC/MS. Resultater fra disse analysene indikerer en RG-I struktur med AG-II sidekjeder, og muligens også arabinan-sidekjeder. Alle fraksjonene ble testet med tanke på biologisk aktivitet i to assay. GA1Fr1 viste potent antikomplementær effekt og et potensial til å kunne stimulere makrofager. Det ikke funnet sub-akutte toksiske effekter in vivo etter oral administrering av pektinfraksjon GA, i konsentrasjon 200 mg/kg, over 21 dager. I den etnofarmakologiske studien beskrevet i del 2 ble totalt 54 healere intervjuet om fem forskjellige planter, Erythrina senegalensis, Opilia celtidifolia, Combretum glutinosum, Biophytum petersianum and Syzygium guineense. De fire førstnevnte plantene var svært godt kjent for healerene, hvor de hyppigst nevnte indikasjonsområder for var for de respektive plantene: Amenoré, innvoldsorm, gulsott/ malaria og malaria. Det ble utarbeidet en tabell på engelsk for alle resultatene vist i vedlegg A

Metabolic and performance effects of Yerba Mate on well-trained cyclists

INTRODUCTION: Yerba Mate (YM) is a South American plant, rich in polyphenols, saponins, and xanthines, of growing scientific interest because of its metabolic effects. YM has been shown to increase fat utilization during exercise in untrained humans, but its effects on well-trained individuals during exercise are unknown. METHODS: We characterized metabolic and physical performance effects of YM in 11 well-trained male cyclists. In a double-blind crossover design, participants ingested 5 g of YM or placebo (PL; maltodextrin) daily for 5 d and 1 h before experimental trials. RESULTS: Ergometer-based tests included a submaximal step test (SST) at 30%-80% of V ̇O2max (6 × 5-min stages), followed by a cycloergometer-based time trial (TT) test to complete mechanical work (~30 min; n = 9). Before and during tests, blood and respiratory gas samples were collected. YM increased resting plasma adrenaline concentration (P = 0.002), and fat utilization by 23% at 30%-50% V ̇O2max versus PL (Glass effect sizes (ES) ± 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.8 ± 0.55) correlating strongly with post-SST plasma (glycerol; r = 0.758). Treatment effects on rates of perceived exertion, heart rate, and gross efficiency were unclear during SST. Respiratory exchange ratio during TT indicated carbohydrate dependence and did not differ between treatments (PL, 0.95 ± 0.03 (SD); YM, 0.95 ± 0.02). TT performance showed a small (ES = 0.38 ± 0.33) but significant (P = 0.0278) improvement with YM (PL, 30.1 ± 1.8 min (SD); YM, 29.4 ± 1.4 min; 2.2% ± 2% (95% CI)), with an average increase of 7-W power output (ES = 0.2 ± 0.19; P = 0.0418; 2.3% ± 2% (95% CI)) and 2.8% V ̇O2 (P = 0.019). Pacing displayed lower power output after 30% of total TT workload in PL vs YM. CONCLUSIONS: YM increased fat utilization during submaximal exercise and improved TT performance, but performance-enhancement effect was unrelated to measures of substrate metabolism during maximal exercise

Immunomodulating Activity of Aronia melanocarpa Polyphenols

The immunomodulating effects of isolated proanthocyanidin-rich fractions, procyanidins C1, B5 and B2 and anthocyanins of Aronia melanocarpa were investigated. In this work, the complement-modulating activities, the inhibitory activities on nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages and effects on cell viability of these polyphenols were studied. Several of the proanthocyanidin-rich fractions, the procyanidins C1, B5 and B2 and the cyanidin aglycone possessed strong complement-fixing activities. Cyanidin 3-glucoside possessed stronger activity than the other anthocyanins. Procyanidins C1, B5 and B2 and proanthocyanidin-rich fractions having an average degree of polymerization (PD) of 7 and 34 showed inhibitory activities on NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 mouse macrophages. All, except for the fraction containing proanthocyanidins with PD 34, showed inhibitory effects without affecting cell viability. This study suggests that polyphenolic compounds of A. melanocarpa may have beneficial effects as immunomodulators and anti-inflammatory agents

Purification and Partial Structural Characterization of a Complement Fixating Polysaccharide from Rhizomes of Ligusticum chuanxiong

Rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong is an effective medical plant, which has been extensively applied for centuries in migraine and cardiovascular diseases treatment in China. Polysaccharides from this plant have been shown to have interesting bioactivities, but previous studies have only been performed on the neutral polysaccharides. In this study, LCP-I-I, a pectic polysaccharide fraction, was obtained from the 100 °C water extracts of L. chuangxiong rhizomes and purified by diethylaminethyl (DEAE) sepharose anion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. Monosaccharide analysis and linkage determination in addition to Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer and Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrum, indicated that LCP-I-I is a typical pectic polysaccharide, with homo-galacturonan and rhamnogalacturonan type I regions and arabinogalactan type I and type II (AG-I/AG-II) side chains. LCP-I-I exhibited potent complement fixation activity, ICH50 of 26.3 ± 2.2 µg/mL, and thus has potential as a natural immunomodulator