Étude phytochimique et évaluation de l’activité anti-radicalaire, anti-inflammatoire, anti-drépanocytaire et cytotoxique des feuilles de Lippia multiflora Moldenke (Verbenaceae)

Lippia multiflora est une plante aromatique utilisée en médecine traditionnelle pour traiter un certain nombre de maladies dont la drépanocytose. Le but de la présente étude est d’évaluer son efficacité et son innocuité in vitro. L’analyse micrographique de la poudre de L. multiflora par le réactif de Steimetz a permis d’identifier les cellules épidermiques, les stomates, les fragments de vaisseaux spiralées et les trichomes unicellulaires non glanduleux. Du point de vue phytochimique, cette plante contient les acides phénoliques, les flavonoïdes, les anthocyanes, les leuco-anthocyanes, les quinones liées, les coumarines, les anthraquinones, les iridoïdes, les saponines, les stéroïdes et les tri-terpènes. La teneur en polyphénols totaux est de 336 mg EAG/g d’extrait et tandis que celle des flavonoïdes totaux, des anthocyanes, des tanins condensés et hydrolysables sont respectivement de 6,61 mg EQ/g; 0,111 %; 0,425 %; 0,093 %. L’activité anti-oxydante du percolât (radical DPPH: CI50=73,6 µg/mL; radical ABTS: %I > 50 à 20 µg/mL) est supérieure à celle du décocté (radical DPPH: %I < 50 à 100 µg/mL; radical ABTS: CI50=78,9 µg/mL) et qu’en outre les feuilles de L. multiflora ne sont pas cytotoxiques (%Hémolyse <50 à 1000 µg/mL). Ces feuilles sont douées en outre des propriétés anti-inflammatoires (décocté: 36,3 % versus percolât: 62,0 %). Ces deux types d’extraits sont doués des propriétés anti-drépanocytaires in vitro. Cette plante bioactive étant probablement non cytotoxique, elle peut être développée et proposée comme candidat aliment fonctionnel pour le traitement symptomatique des crises drépanocytaires. Mots clés: Lippia multiflora, micrographie, aliments fonctionnels, acides phénoliques, polyphénols, in vitro, anti-inflammatoire, anti-drépanocytos

Occupational therapy students’ perspectives on the core competencies of graduates to practise in the field of neurology

Background. The South African (SA) health system is characterised by limited resources, high bed turnover rates and a high therapist-to-patient ratio. Patients with neurological dysfunction form a large majority of the caseload of occupational therapists. Feedback from stakeholders alluded to some discrepancies between the content taught in the Stellenbosch University undergraduate curriculum and what is expected within the clinical setting. This raises questions regarding the relevance and applicability of what undergraduate occupational therapists are taught, given the nature and demands of the SA public health system.Objective. To explore the perspectives of final-year occupational therapy students with regard to the core competencies required for optimal preparation of students for practice in the field of neurology.Methods. This explorative study used three focus groups to obtain the perspectives of 18 final-year students who had experienced clinical placements in neurology. Information from the focus groups was transcribed and analysed thematically to determine the findings.Results. Analysis of the data revealed four themes, i.e. core knowledge and skills; attitude; resource and time constraints in clinical areas; and factors influencing optimal learning experiences.Conclusion. The curriculum should prepare students to be well equipped for the current climate of the profession. While the current neurology curriculum may be viewed as having some positive features, there are some aspects that need to be updated and revised. Key considerations to optimise learning include a more regular interface between clinical areas and the university, scheduling of teaching blocks, and applying relevant teaching methods

Occupational therapy students’ perspectives on the core competencies of graduates to practise in the field of neurology

CITATION: Khuabi, L. J. N., et al. 2017. Occupational therapy students’ perspectives on the core competencies of graduates to practise in the field of neurology. African Journal of Health Professions Education, 9(1):39-43, doi:10.7196/AJHPE.2017.v9i1.722.The original publication is available at http://www.sajsm.org.za/index.php/ajhpeBackground. The South African (SA) health system is characterised by limited resources, high bed turnover rates and a high therapist-to-patient ratio. Patients with neurological dysfunction form a large majority of the caseload of occupational therapists. Feedback from stakeholders alluded to some discrepancies between the content taught in the Stellenbosch University undergraduate curriculum and what is expected within the clinical setting. This raises questions regarding the relevance and applicability of what undergraduate occupational therapists are taught, given the nature and demands of the SA public health system. Objective. To explore the perspectives of final-year occupational therapy students with regard to the core competencies required for optimal preparation of students for practice in the field of neurology. Methods. This explorative study used three focus groups to obtain the perspectives of 18 final-year students who had experienced clinical placements in neurology. Information from the focus groups was transcribed and analysed thematically to determine the findings. Results. Analysis of the data revealed four themes, i.e. core knowledge and skills; attitude; resource and time constraints in clinical areas; and factors influencing optimal learning experiences. Conclusion. The curriculum should prepare students to be well equipped for the current climate of the profession. While the current neurology curriculum may be viewed as having some positive features, there are some aspects that need to be updated and revised. Key considerations to optimise learning include a more regular interface between clinical areas and the university, scheduling of teaching blocks, and applying relevant teaching methods.http://www.sajsm.org.za/index.php/ajhpe/article/view/722Publishers' Versio

Comparative study of the methane production based on the chemical composition of Mangifera Indica and Manihot Utilissima leaves

Leaves of Mangifera Indica (MI, mango leaves) and Manihot Utilissima (MU, cassava leaves) are available in tropical regions and are the most accessible vegetal wastes of Kinshasa, capital of Democratic Republic of Congo. These wastes are not suitably managed and are not rationally valorized. They are abandoned in full air, on the soil and in the rivers. They thus pollute environment. By contrast, they can be recuperated and treated in order to produce methane (energy source), organic fertilizer and clean up the environment simultaneously. The main objective of this study was to investigate methane production from MI and MU leaves by BMP tests at 30°C. The yields achieved from the anaerobic digestion of up to 61.3 g raw matter in 1 l medium were 0.001 l/g and 0.100 l CH4/g volatile solids of MI and MU leaves, respectively. The yield of MU leaves was in the range mentioned in the literature for other leaves because of a poor presence of bioactive substrates, and low C/N ratio. This methane yield corresponded to 7% of calorific power of wood. By contrast, the methane yield from MI leaves was almost nil suggesting some metabolism inhibition because of their rich composition in carbon and bioactive substrates. Whereas classical acidogenesis and acetogenesis were recorded. Therefore, methane production from the sole MI leaves seems unfavorable by comparison to MU leaves at the ambient temperature in tropical regions. Their solid and liquid residues obtained after anaerobic digestion would be efficient fertilizers. However, the methane productivity of both leaves could be improved by anaerobic co-digestion.Thèse : Etude de la biodégradation anaérobie des feuilles de Mangifera Indica (manguier) et Manihot Utilissima (manioc