In vitro Antiplasmodial and Haemolytic Activities of Trema orientalis, Cnestis ferruginea and Dialium dinklagei Used to Treat Malaria in Côte d’Ivoire

International audienceMalaria constitutes one of the biggest health problems in tropical Africa due to the resistance of human malaria parasites to anti-malarial compounds. Research focused on plants used in traditional medicine to treat malaria is still a viable alternative for the creation of novel anti-malarial drugs. This study evaluated extracts from three medicinal plants, Trema orientalis, Cnestis ferruginea and Dialium dinklagei, used in traditional medicine in Côte d’Ivoire, for in vitro antiplasmodial activities. SYBR GREEN fluorescence method was used to evaluate the in vitro inhibitory activity of the extracts, chloroquine, artesunate and quinine against Plasmodium falciparum field isolates and two laboratory strains of Plasmodium falciparum: the chloroquine sensitive 3D7 and the chloroquine resistant Dd2. In comparison to plant extracts, chloroquine, quinine, and artesunate were chosen as reference antimalarials. In addition, the haemolytic activity of extracts showing good antiplasmodial activity was evaluated. The IC50 and the corresponding correlation coefficients were determined graphically, using In vitro Analysis and Reporting Tool (IVART) software of WWARN (Worldwide Antimalarial Resistance Network). Results showed that no plant was active with the hexanolic extract. Trema orientalis had moderate activity with the methanolic extract with activities ranging from 14.46µg/mL to 28.32µg/mL. Cnestis ferruginea was active with the decoction extracts with activities ranging from 11.78µg/mL to 13.94µg/mL. Dialium dinklagei was active with both methanolic and aqueous extracts ranging from 12.80µg/mL to 21.67µg/mL. There was less than 1% hemolysis at the concentration of 200 µg/mL of plant extracts. These results validate the reported traditional use of Trema orientalis, Cnestis ferruginea and Dialium dinklagei for malaria treatment in Côte d’Ivoire

Serodiagnosis of human cysticercosis for epidemiological studies in low-income countries is the ELISA "screening" strategy accurate

International audienceBackground: Serodiagnosis of cysticercosis uses two serological tests, ELISA and Western blot, which are carried on sequentially.Only the samples positive in Elisa are confirmed with Western blot. The objective of this study was to assess the agreement betweenthe ELISA and Western blot to evaluate false negative generate by ELISA alone. Methods: This is a retrospective study conductedon samples randomly drawn at random from a serum bank constituted during two cross-sectional surveys carried out in thedepartments of Dabou and Agboville, in the south of Côte d'Ivoire. These two sero-epidemiological studies were conducted onrandomly selected asymptomatic subjects. The sera selected for this ancillary study were all tested using both native antigen Elisaand western blot methods. Western blot (EITB) was used as reference test. Sensitivity, specificity, false positive and false negativerates of the Elisa test were determined against EITB results. Results: A total of 594 sera (297 positives / 297 negatives in ELISA),were tested by Western blot. The sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA were 82.6% and 79.5%, respectively. The false negativeand false positive rates of ELISA were 16.5% and 21.6%, respectively. A strong agreement was observed between these two testswith a Cohen's Kappa value equal to 0.62. Conclusion: These data reveal that the Elisa test alone is not sufficient for theserodiagnosis of cysticercosis. When used for diagnosis in symptomatic patient, ELISA alone is not sufficient to avoid thediagnostic. Elisa-negative patient who presents a critical clinical picture must be tested by Western blot

Ethnobotanical Study of Plants Used in Traditional Treatment of Diarrhoea in Humans and Cattle in Two Regions of Ivory Coast

International audienceEthnopharmacological Relevance: An ethnobotanical survey was conducted in three regions of the country (two rural and one urban), using a questionnaire focussing on anti-diarrheal therapeutic habits.Methodology: Information about the plants has been recorded (local name, organs or part(s) of the plant used, therapeutic indications, harvesting methods, methods of administration, side effects, etc.). Collection of the plants was done in collaboration with traditional practitioners and identification of the specimens was conducted at the National Floristic Center (Ivory coast).During the ethnobotanical survey, twelve traditional healers and nine breeders were interviewed which all declared to treat diarrhoea with plants. During this survey, twenty-seven species belonging to eighteen different families of plants were reported for anti-diarrhoeal use in humans or animals. They were all harvested on the field and a herbarium of each species was prepared in duplicate, one stored at the National Floristic Centre of the Felix Houphouët-Boigny University and the other at the Pasteur Institute of Ivory coast.Results: Decoction was the most common mode of preparation used by practionioners and the oral route remained also the main way of administration of plants by healers. These plants are also used in other countries for the same or other purpose.Conclusion: This study shows that traditional medicinal plants play an important role in the treatment of diarrhoea in Ivory coast. It provides basis for future studies to assess, biological and chemical potential of these plants

Four uncommon clinical fungi, Lodderomyces elongisporus, Kodamaea ohmeri, Cyberlindnera fabianii and Wickerhamomyces anomalus, isolated in superficial samples from Côte d'Ivoire

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