Anti-Trypanosomal Activity of Guiera senegalensis on Trypanosoma brucei Infected Mice

Aqueous decoction of Guiera senegalensis leaves was studied orally and intraperitoneally for its antitrypanosomal activity on mice infected experimentally with Trypanosoma brucei brucei. After a phytochemical screening followed by an acute toxicity study on mice, the extract of plant was administered once daily for 2 days at doses of 60, 120 and 240 mg / kg orally and 15, 30 and 60 mg / kg intraperitoneally after infection. Then, parameters of parasitaemia, packed cell volume (PCV), mean survival time and body weight of the mice treated with the extract were measured and compared with positive (diminazene aceturate) and negative (distilled water) controls for 7 days in a row. Results indicate that the aqueous extract of G. senegalensis leaves contains tannins, flavonoids, saponosides, reducing compounds and anthocyanosides, alkaloids and coumarins. LD50 of the extract are 1264.49 mg / kg by oral route and 316.22 mg / kg by intraperitoneal route. The doses of 240 mg / kg by oral route and 15 and 60 mg / kg by intraperitoneal route of aqueous extract showed a mean survival time (5 days) comparable to the positive control. Parasitaemia level increased in all mice tested except in mice treated with diminazene aceturate during the post-infestation period. During this period, PCV and body weight of all mice decreased by both routes of administration. These results of the study show the pharmacological utility of G. senegalensis leaves in the control of TAA by herders / pastoralists and suggest continuing further bio-guided studies to isolate the active components of the plant in order to improve their efficiency. Keywords: In vivo test; Trypanosoma brucei brucei; Guiera senegalensis leaves; phytochemical screening; acute toxicity

Temporal variation in body measurements in three Taurine cattle populations of Burkina Faso supports introgression of Zebu genes into West African Taurine cattle

A total of 769 adult females belonging to 3 taurine and one zebu cattle populations sampled in 3 provinces of Burkina Faso were assessed for 19 body measurements during two different years (2014 and 2018). The aim of this research was to identify temporal morphological variation in cattle bred in the humid southern zones to obtain empirical evidence supporting a possible introgression of zebu cattle genes into Gourounsi and Lobi taurine cattle breeds. Zebu cattle samples were used as out-group for both 2014 and 2018 subsets. Least square means of body measurements allowed to classify Burkina Faso taurine cattle into three subgroups according to body size (Gourounsi–Sanguié –GourS-, Gourounsi-Nahouri –GourN- and Lobi from the tallest to the smallest respectively). Principal Component Analysis suggested that in 2014, taurine populations were structured. Dispersion map constructed using the two first factors informed that the GourS population was well separated from both the Lobi and the GourN, which, in turn, overlapped. However, in 2018 a strong signal of homogenization was identified, with GourN partially overlapping the other two populations. Linear Discriminant Analysis suggested that about 20% of both GourS and GourN individuals were reciprocally misclassified. Clues for such increase have been pointed out by MANOVA analysis. Although on 2014, Lobi cattle was clearly smaller than Gourounsi and both GourS and GourN populations showed clear differences on body traits, on 2018 it could be assessed an increase in size in Lobi cattle and a strong homogenization signal within Gourounsi cattle. Zebu cattle gene flow southwards in Burkina Faso is likely to have caused these changes, suggesting a fast erosion of taurine cattle genetic background. Keywords: Body traits, quantitative traits, Gourounsi cattle, Lobi, Burkina Faso

Anthelmintic activity of Saba senegalensis (A.DC.) Pichon (Apocynaceae) extract against adult worms and eggs of Haemonchus contortus

Objective: To evaluate the anthelmintic property of Saba senegalensis (A.DC) Pichon (Apocynaceae) (S. senegalensis) on Haemonchus contortus that is traditionally used in Burkina Faso for its gastrointestinal parasites treatment. Methods: The lyophilized aqueous decoction of leaves of S. senegalensis at concentrations of 0.10, 1.00, 3.00, 10.00 and 15.00 mg/mL was used on eggs and adult worms of Haemonchus contortus collected from gastrointestinal tract of small ruminant. Results: The LC50 on adult worms was 6.79 mg/mL and 3.25 mg/mL for the leaves of S. senegalensis and the levamisole (reference drug), respectively. Inhibition of hatching assay showed a concentration-dependent manner with an inhibition of 93.63% at the concentration of 15.00 mg/mL of S. senegalensis. Conclusions: These results indicate that the aqueous extract of S. senegalensis possesses an anthelmintic property and may justify its use in traditional medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal parasites

Polyphenols contents and antioxidant potential of Nauclea latifolia Smith (Rubiaceae) acetonic fractions from Burkina Faso

Scientific information on antioxidant properties and phenolic content of Nauclea latifolia used in ethnoveterinary medicine in Burkina Faso are limited. Therefore, the quantification of the antioxidant activity of different parts of this specie remains an interesting and useful task, particularly for finding new sources for natural antioxidants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity and total polyphenols of Nauclea latifolia Smith (Rubiaceae) acetonic fractions from Burkina Faso. n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions of leaves, barks and root barks were tested for their antioxidant activities using DPPH, ABTS and FRAP methods. Folin-Ciocalteu and AlCl3 reagents were used to quantify the polyphenols. n-butanol fraction of barks (58.16 ± 0.76 mg GAE/100 mg), dichloromethane fraction of barks (51.13 ± 0.99; 26.14 mg GAE/100 mg) have presented the best total phenolic contents while the best total flavonoid contents were found in n-butanol fraction of leaves and n-hexane fraction of leaves with 4.85 ± 0.14 mg EQ/100mg and 2.92 ± 0.13 mg EQ/100mg, respectively. It was observed that n-hexane fraction of leaves was scavenge more DPPH free radicals with a value of 1011.98± 17,01 µmol EAA/g. That of n-butanol fractions of barks was showed the best ferric reduction power (3056.37 ± 96.66 µmol EAA/g) and the highest ABTS cation radicals scavenging capacity (7031.52 ± 254.98 µmol EAA/g). Nevertheless, this work encourages investigations on Burkina Faso plant species used in the ethnoveterinary medicine as sources of antioxidants. Keywords: Fraction; Ouagadougou; Barks, Total Polyphenols Contents; Radicals