Contribution à l'étude de la médécine traditionnelle marocaine: activité antidiabétique d'une association d'Ammi visnaga, Erythrea centaurium et Thymus ciliatus

Une association composee de trois plantes : Ammi visnaga; Erythrea centaurium et Thymus ciliatus est utilisee en medecine traditionnelle marocaine dans le traitement du diabete. Des etudes preliminaires ont demontre les proprietes hypoglycemiantes de l'extrait aqueux de l'association sur des rats normoglycemiques; et ont conclu a la non toxicite aigue et chronique de l'association. Cet article est une contribution a l'etude de l'activite antidiabetique de l'extrait aqueux sur des rats atteints de diabete alloxanique

[Prospects for family planning in 1991 in Tunisia]. / Les perspectives de la planification familiale en 1991 en Tunisie.

PIP: Tunisia's National Office of the Family and Population has stated certain specific objectives that parallel those of the 7th economic and social development plan for the period 1987-91. 1 objective is to limit births to 240,000 in 1991, a lower figure than the 260,000 in the development plan. The strategy for attaining this goal will be to estimate the required number of contraceptive acceptors and to allocate the required number according to contraceptive method, geographic area, and intermediate plan years. In 1986, an estimated 66,000 births were averted and 230,000 actually occurred. In 1991, an estimated 91,000 births will need to be averted to reach the goal of 240,000. Without an additional family planning effort, an estimated 251,000 births would occur under conditions observed in 1986. An estimated 141,000 new acceptors will need to be recruited to meet the 1991 goal, compared to 112,000 in 1986. Abortion aside, the proportion of acceptors using each method in 1986 and the 1991 objective for that method respectively were 49% and 51% for IUDs, 9% and 10% for tubal ligation, 20% and 18% for oral contraceptives (OCs), and 22% and 20% for other methods. Other objectives of the office are to modify the characteristics of contraceptive acceptors, to reduce regional disparities in contraceptive usage, and to exert a greater influence on indirect fertility determinants. In order to reduce regional disparities in contraceptive prevalence, specific goals for OCs, IUDs, and tubal ligation have been set for each of the 7 regions. A greater effort will be required in the South East and South West, the Center East, and to a lesser degree the Center West. The Office will maintain the basic principle of availability of all methods, while encouraging the methods most accepted by the Tunisian population and the simplest to use, which are the IUD and tubal ligation. Without setting quantified objectives, the Office will strive to reduce the average age and parity of new acceptors through appropriate messages. In 1986, for acceptors of the pill, IUD, and tubal ligation respectively, the average ages were 28.5, 27.7, and 34.9 years and the average numbers of living children were 3.06, 2.80, and 5.52. Interventions to influence indirect fertility determinants will consist of such actions as improving educational programs in gouvernorates with relatively low marriage ages and improving health care in those with high infant and child mortality rates.^ieng

[Cancer of the liver in pregnancy. Reflections apropos of a case]. / Cancer du foie associé à la grossesse. Réflexion à propos d'un cas.

Primary cancer of the liver is rare in western countries. Men of a mean age of 60 tend to be more subject to it than women. In Africa, however, younger people of a mean age of 36 and more women become subject to it. 13.5% of malignant tumours of the liver are found in African women with a mean age of 34 years. Thus, the association of liver cancer with pregnancy is rare. The case which has been studied concerns a woman of 34 years of age, a para. 2 in her 4th pregnancy. There were no known pathogenic factors such as the taking of androgens or of oral contraceptives. The main symptoms were pain in the right side and in the centre of the abdomen. A tumour increasing in size was found. The alpha fetoprotein ratio was high and increased as pregnancy progressed. Ultrasound and scintography were positive. Liver cytology testing failed. The patient died soon because the disease progressed rapidly after a stillborn baby had been born prematurely and laparatomy had been undertaken. Laparatomy is the last possible method of diagnosis and treatment. Pregnancy seems to accelerate the development of liver tumours and makes them a very high risk. Since chemotherapy has not yet been demonstrated to be effective, only surgery can be considered as a possible therapy. The association of primary cancer of the liver with pregnancy is rare and of poor prognosis.

[Influence of age, season and hypophysectomy on lipogenesis of adipocyte from rabbit. Insulin effects]. / Influences de l'âge, de la saison et de l'hypophysectomie sur la lipogenèse de l'adipocyte chez le lapin; effects de l'insuline.

We studied lipogenesis, either from glucose or from acetate, spontaneous or stimulated by insulin, at the level of the isolated adipocyte of the rabbit's perirenal adipose tissue related to growth, season and hormonal troubles induced by hypophysectomy. 1. For the adipocyte, acetate instead of glucose is the major precursor for fatty acid synthesis. 2. Adipocyte lipogenesis of the immature rabbit of two months is higher than that which is observed in the mature rabbit of six months. 3. Adipocyte lipogenesis is strikingly more important in autumn than in spring, both in the young rabbit and the mature one. 4. After hypophysectomy, fatty acid synthesis from acetate is greatly increased at the level of the adipocyte and, in this case, insulin stimulates efficiently lipogenesis from acetate as well as from glucose.