Antimicrobial and toxicological activities of five medicinal plant species from Cameroon Traditional Medicine

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Infectious diseases caused by multiresistant microbial strains are on the increase. Fighting these diseases with natural products may be more efficacious. The aim of this study was to investigate the <it>in vitro </it>antimicrobial activity of methanolic, ethylacetate (EtOAc) and hexanic fractions of five Cameroonian medicinal plants (<it>Piptadeniastum africana</it>, <it>Cissus aralioides, Hileria latifolia, Phyllanthus muellerianus </it>and <it>Gladiolus gregasius) </it>against 10 pathogenic microorganisms of the urogenital and gastrointestinal tracts.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The fractions were screened for their chemical composition and <it>in vivo </it>acute toxicity was carried out on the most active extracts in order to assess their inhibitory selectivity.</p> <p>The agar well-diffusion and the micro dilution methods were used for the determination of the inhibition diameters (ID) and Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) respectively on 8 bacterial species including two Gram positive species (<it>Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis)</it>, and six Gram negative <it>(Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Shigella flexneri, Salmonella typhi) </it>and two fungal isolates (<it>Candida albicans, Candida krusei)</it>. The chemical composition was done according to Harbone (1976), the acute toxicity evaluation according to WHO protocol and the hepatic as well as serum parameters measured to assess liver and kidney functions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The chemical components of each plant's extract varied according to the solvent used, and they were found to contain alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenols, triterpens, sterols, tannins, coumarins, glycosides, cardiac glycosides and reducing sugars. The methanolic and ethylacetate extracts of <it>Phyllanthus muellerianus </it>and <it>Piptadeniastum africana </it>presented the highest antimicrobial activities against all tested microorganisms with ID varying from 8 to 26 mm and MIC from 2.5 to 0.31 mg/ml. The <it>in vivo </it>acute toxicity study carried out on the methanolic extracts of <it>Phyllanthus muellerianus </it>and <it>Piptadeniastrum africana </it>indicated that these two plants were not toxic. At the dose of 4 g/kg body weight, kidney and liver function tests indicated that these two medicinal plants induced no adverse effect on these organs.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results showed that, all these plant's extracts can be used as antimicrobial phytomedicines which can be therapeutically used against infections caused by multiresistant agents.</p> <p>Phyllanthus muellerianus, Piptadeniastum africana, antimicrobial, acute toxicity, kidney and liver function tests, Cameroon Traditional Medicine</p

Facteurs Associes A L\'infertilite Masculine: Résultats d\'une série de 84 patients suivis à l\'Hôpital Général de Yaoundé.

In order to discriminate factors associated with male infertility in Cameroon , we selected from January 2001 to December 2006 , in the Gynecological Services of the General Hospital of Yaounde 84 infertile patients . The mean age was 38.21 years ±11 (range 25 – 50). Detailed exploration including laparoscopy was done for each female partner and this enabled us to eliminate some eventual disorders (endometriosis, tubo-peritoneal and ovarian sequelae of pelvic inflammatory diseases …) that could be a bias to our study population. Only husbands (without any known disease detrimental to their reproductive health) free from genital pathologies were recruited. Severe oligoasthenozoospermia was present in 51 cases ( 60.72%), followed by azoospermia, 15 cases ( 17. 86%), severe oligoasthenozoospermia associated with necrozoospermia, 13 cases (15. 47%), and a few cases of moderate oligospermia, 5 cases (5.95 %). No risk factor was found in 33 patients (39.28%) capable of altering the sperm. On the contrary we recorded a history of sexually transmitted infection due to Chlamydia trachomatis in 47 patients (55.95%), smoking in 13 patients (15.47%), alcoholism in 10 patients (11.90%), and exposure to pesticides in 2 patients (2.38%). Considering the risk factors found in our patients (within the limits of this study) and the fact that our environment is permanently filled with a “cocktail” of substances potentially detrimental to male fertility , emphasis should be placed on sensitization of our population and more particularly the youths who are vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections, smoking and alcoholism. On the other hand, the government should protect our environment from substances that are harmful to procreation through the concerted efforts of the different ministerial departments concerned.Dans le but de connaître les facteurs associés à l\'infertilité masculine au Cameroun , nous avons de Janvier 2001 à Décembre 2006 sélectionné dans les Services de Gynécologie de l\'Hôpital Général de Yaoundé, 84 patients infertiles d\'âge moyen 38,21 ± 11ans (27- 50), de niveau socio-économique moyen pour 78 d\'entre eux (92,85 %). Cinquante cinq (65, 47%) souffraient d\'une infertilité primaire depuis en moyenne 2,7 ans (1-5) , et 29 (34,53%) d\'une infertilité secondaire depuis en moyenne 3, 5 ans (2 - 6). Des explorations incluant la coelioscopie pratiquées à chaque fois chez les conjointes ont permis d\'éliminer d\'éventuelles pathologies (endométriose, séquelles tubo-péritonéales, voire ovariennes de maladies inflammatoires pelviennes …) susceptibles de biaiser notre population d\'étude. Seuls étaient recrutés les hommes n\'ayant aucune pathologie connue délétère pour la santé reproductive, et dont les partenaires ne présentaient pas de pathologie génitale. L\'oligo-asthénozoospermie sévère (OAS) a été retrouvée chez la majorité des patients , 51 cas (60,72 %), suivi de l\'azoospermie (AZO), 15 cas (17,86 %), l\'oligoasthénozoospermie sévère associée à une nécrozoospermie (0AS + N), 13 cas (15,47 %) , et dans une moindre mesure l\'oligospermie modérée (OM), 5 cas (5,95 %). Aucun facteur de risque susceptible d\'altérer le sperme n\'a été identifié chez 33 patients (39,28 %). En revanche nous avons identifié les antécédents d\'infections sexuelles à Chlamydia trachomatis chez 47 patients (55,95 %), le tabagisme chez 13 patients (15,47 %) , l\'alcoolisme chez 10 patients (11,90 %) , et l\'exposition aux pesticides chez 2 patients (2,38 %). Au regard des facteurs de risque retrouvés chez nos patients (sous réserve d\'une étude plus étendue), et de notre environnent en permanence inondé par un « cocktail de molécules» potentiellement nocives pour la fertilité masculine , un accent devra être mis sur la sensibilisation de nos populations et plus particulièrement la jeunesse actuellement vulnérable aux infections sexuellement transmissibles, au tabagisme et à l\'alcoolisme. Par ailleurs les pouvoirs publics doivent s\'investir à protéger l\'environnement des substances nocives pour la fertilité, à travers une approche intégrée des stratégies sectorielles des départements ministériels concernés. Keywords: Male infertility - Chlamydia - Smoking - Alcoholism - Pesticide.Clinics in Mother and Child Health Vol. 4 (1) 2007: pp. 665-67