Sale conditions, Use and Consumption of provitamin A rich-foods in Douala-Cameroon: Case of crude palm oil

In order to contribute in fighting against vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in Cameroon through carefully use of crude palm oil (CPO), three surveys were carried out in Douala town and some of its surrounding rural areas. The first consisted of information collection from 55 sellers on the CPO's sales conditions (containers, exhibition conditions and liquefaction method). The second and the last was to collect information respectively on the use and the consumption of dishes prepared with unbleached CPO respectively from 199 housewives and 309 individuals. The results reveal that 87% of sellers exposed CPO in the open air during commercialization although 44% of them knew that sunlight could have a negative impact on its quality. Heating and/or sun exposure were the technics used to liquefy oil. On the 98% of households that prepared with CPO, 93% of them often bleached it, although 64% were aware of the detrimental effect of this process. The social status of housewives significantly influenced this result. Unbleached CPO was used to prepare many dishes which were frequently consumed by 87% of people with a significant influence of lifestyle and region of origin. The results of this study showed that CPO could be used for fight against VAD in Cameroon if it is carefully commercialized and used in households and if people frequently consume dishes prepared with unbleached CPO. Practical application The knowledge of information on selling conditions, use and consumption of CPO will contribute to fight against VAD. In fact, it will guide policies for the development of strategies to improve in its commercialization conditions; to propagate the CPO and its consumption throughout the country and to improve nutritional education

Elevated Cell-Specific Microparticles Are a Biological Marker for Cerebral Dysfunctions in Human Severe Malaria

Cerebral malaria (CM) and severe anemia (SA) are the most severe complications of Plasmodium falciparum infections. Although increased release of endothelial microparticles (MP) correlates with malaria severity, the full extent of vascular cell vesiculation remains unknown. Here, we characterize the pattern of cell-specific MP in patients with severe malaria. We tested the hypothesis that systemic vascular activation contributes to CM by examining origins and levels of plasma MP in relation to clinical syndromes, disease severity and outcome. Patients recruited in Douala, Cameroon, were assigned to clinical groups following WHO criteria. MP quantitation and phenotyping were carried out using cell-specific markers by flow cytometry using antibodies recognizing cell-specific surface markers. Platelet, erythrocytic, endothelial and leukocytic MP levels were elevated in patients with cerebral dysfunctions and returned to normal by discharge. In CM patients, platelet MP were the most abundant and their levels significantly correlated with coma depth and thrombocytopenia. This study shows for the first time a widespread enhancement of vesiculation in the vascular compartment appears to be a feature of CM but not of SA. Our data underpin the role of MP as a biomarker of neurological involvement in severe malaria. Therefore, intervention to block MP production in severe malaria may provide a new therapeutic pathway

An herbal tea blend of hibiscus sabdariffa, zingiber officinale, and mentha spicata: a potent source of antioxidant and anti-obesity properties

© 2024 The Authors. Published by AMO Publisher. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.59324/ejmhr.2024.2(1).10Background: There is an urgent need to find safer and more sustainable solutions to tackle the rising global epidemic obesity and associated complications. The main objective of this study was to develop formulations of herbal tea blend from three plant species and to assess the antioxidant and antiobesogenic properties of the best formulation. Methods: The best formulation (FX) obtained (80% Hibiscus sabdariffa, 10% Zingiber officinale and 10% Mentha spicata) was validated by their better sensory acceptability and antioxidant properties. In vivo study using high-fat diet Wistar rats revealed that FX alleviated oxidative stress and metabolic disorders including those affecting hepatic and renal functions caused by high-fat died. Results: The administration of FX resulted in a reduction in food intake, body weight gain and metabolic efficiency index alongside lower blood content in triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, glucose, and atherogenic index when compared to the control groups. The results were comparable if not better than those obtained from the reference groups treated with a standard obesity treatment medicine, Orlistat. Conclusion: The developed herbal blend showed promising results for use as a safer product for obesity prevention and management as well as other oxidative stress-related health issues.Published onlin

Effect of Spirulina platensis Supplementation on Nutritional and Biochemical Parameters of Under Five Years Malnourished Children from an Orphanage in Douala, Cameroon

Malnutrition is the underlying cause of 50% of morbidity and mortality in the under-five age group. Its frequencies have been increasing in young Cameroon children during the past three decades (stunting ≥ 38%; anemia ≥ 58%; Zinc ≥ 69% and vitamin A ≥ 38%) We carried out a prospective study to assess the supplementation effect of Spirulina platensis on moderate and mild malnutrition on children under five years old. Seven children (4-5 years) were enrolled in this study. Children were enrolled in nutritional rehabilitation for 25 days. Each child received 8g of supplement daily, 4g in the morning and 4g in the evening. Anthropometric and haematologic parameters were measured before and after rehabilitation. Mild and moderate malnutrition, wasting and underweight was seen in 4 children anthropometrically (no child was stunted) and haematologically in all 7 children before rehabilitation started. The children were weighted four times (First week at enrollment (W1), week 2 (W2), Week 3 (W3), Week 4 (W4)). After 25 days, a significant gain in weight was observed and varying from 17.21 ± 2.00Kg (W1) to 18.45 ± 2.07Kg (W2) and from 18.143 ± 1.77Kg (W3) to 18.67 ± 1.93Kg (W4) with their respective P- values at 0.02 (W2), 0.02 (W3) and 0.04 (W4) after rehabilitation. The following biomarkers and their constants also showed a significant variation: calcium (73.91 ± 16.89mg/L vs 88.41 ± 14.83mg/L (p = 0.03), mean cell volume (86.14 ± 4.38 fl vs 83.86 ± 4.83 fl (p = 0.04) and mean cell haemoglobin concentration (32.10 ± 0.38 g/dL vs 34.27 ± 3.35 g/dL (p = 0.03) respectively before and after rehabilitation. Other biomarkers (proteins, haemoglobin, haematocrit, platelets, red blood cells, white blood cells, neutrophiles, eosinophiles, basophiles, monocytes, lymphocytes) had also increased in non a significant manner. The study showed that spirulina platensis impact positively in the fight against malnutrition by improving weight and raising the blood content of biomarkers due to its high content of proteins (60-70%) and pigments

Influence de l'infestation palustre sur le profil calcique chez la femme enceinte

Les femmes enceintes des régions d'endémie palustre vivent fréquemment un cycle où les infections répétées aboutissent à des conséquences désastreuses qui peuvent même retentir chez les futures générations. Le but de ce travail était d'étudier l'influence de l'infection palustre sur le profil calcique des femmes enceintes et le risque possible pour la génération future. Le test de grossesse (par immuno-chromatographie), le diagnostic du paludisme (goutte épaisse et frottis mince) et la détermination de la calcémie (par la méthode colorimétrique) ont été effectués sur 208 femmes enceintes. Près de 18% des femmes enceintes détectées positives après diagnostic palustre présentaient une hypocalcémie, contre 2,31% pour les contrôles (P=0,0006); Cette influence baissant avec la parité et les corrélations obtenues expriment très bien l'impact négatif de l'infection palustre au cours du 3e trimestre de grossesse (période du dépôt de calcium chez le fœtus).Mots clés: paludisme, calcémie, grossesse Cameroon Journal of Experimental Biology Vol. 1(2) 2005: 83-8