Phytochemical screening, antimalarial and histopathological studies of Allophylus africanus and Tragia benthamii.

The anti-malarial potential of different parts of Allophylus africanus P. Beauv and Tragia benthamii Baker were determined in vivo for suppressive, curative and cytotoxic activities in mice receiving 0.2 mL of a standard inoculum size of 1 × 10(7) infected erythrocytes of Plasmodium berghei (NK-65) intraperitoneally. The A. africanus extracts suppressed parasitaemia following administration to infected mice by 92.82%-97.81% on day 7 post-infection against 96.81% for chloroquine. The infected extract-treated animals had significantly moderate (P < 0.05) packed cell volume (PCV) compared with the infected, untreated animals. Phytochemical screening revealed a predominance of tannins, saponins, flavonoids and carbohydrates in all parts of A. africanus, and alkaloids instead of flavonoids in the extract of T. benthamii. The results suggest that the extract possesses considerable antimalarial activity. These results support further studies on A. africanus.

HLA DPA1/DPB1 genotype and haplotype frequencies, and linkage disequilibria in Nigeria, Liberia, and Gabon.

The frequencies of DPA1 and DPB1 alleles and their occurrence in haplotypic linkage were assessed and compared in Nigerian, Liberian, and Gabonese individuals. Differences were seen in the distribution patterns; these differences were more pronounced between the Gabonese and the other two populations than between Liberians and Nigerians. Several haplotypic DPA1-DPB1 combinations could be verified by homozygosity. Linkage disequilibria of DPA1-DPB1 combinations, indicating further probable haplotypes, were estimated. Although different allele and haplotype frequencies were recognized in the three subgroups, the linkage disequilibria were mostly either positive or negative in all populations.